The Memphis Grizzlies can win through addition by subtraction

In the year 2013, Rudy Gay – at the time a very good, not-quite All-Star wing for the Memphis Grizzlies, got traded to the Toronto Raptors as part of a three-team trade that sent Ed Davis and Tayshaun Prince to the Grizzlies (among other things). Davis was seen as the “future” in the front court for Memphis (whoops) but Prince and his veteran presence/defensive acumen were the short-term focus. The absence of Gay – talented, but high-volume as a scorer – led to increased opportunities for Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph offensively. The team improved in the weeks following the trade – and Memphis made a Western Conference Finals run that same year.

Almost a decade later, a similar exercise happened when the Grizzlies sent out Jonas Valanciunas – a very good, not-quite All-Star big – to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a deal that shipped the #10 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to Memphis (which became Ziaire Williams) as well as Steven Adams. There were other pieces, but Williams was seen as the key prize – a big wing with big upside. Adams was a matching salary who struggled on the Pelicans, but like Prince before him (perhaps not accidentally a part of the Grizzlies front office) Adams was both a veteran and a player who helped winning without needing to be an offensive threat as a scorer.

And the 2021-2022 Memphis Grizzlies made a major leap, tying a franchise record with 56 regular season wins and making it to the second round of the playoffs while possessing one of the NBA’s youngest rosters.

While it is fun (very fun) to make major trades to tinker with the team, the reality is the core of the Memphis Grizzlies is already established. Regardless of suspension, Ja Morant is the superstar of the team moving forward. Desmond Bane (about to get a solid contract extension) and Jaren Jackson Jr. are All-Star caliber performers when healthy and available. Like the Denver Nuggets currently, Memphis should be seeking ways to develop their own talent while also acquiring players outside of the Grizzlies structure currently that accentuate what Morant, Bane, and Jackson Jr. do best.

Trade for veteran help while getting an asset

The Memphis Grizzlies have one extra 1st round pick – that of the Golden State Warriors in 2024, with light protections (1-4 in 2024, 1 in 2025, unprotected in 2026) – in addition to all their own future firsts. That pick – or any future Grizzlies 1st, plus a Memphis player not named Bane, Morant, or Jackson Jr. – should be able to net a wing that, while maybe not a star, could fit in the Tayshaun Prince/Steven Adams mold.

Perhaps a 1st wouldn’t even be necessary. Take for example Otto Porter Jr. of the Toronto Raptors, who just opted in to a $6 million player option a month or so ago. Porter is undoubtedly flawed – he’s played in more than 40 games just twice since the 2018-2019 season, and logged just 8 games of playing time for the Raptors last season. But the season before, in Golden State? He was a huge role player for the Warriors, shooting 37% from three and being a versatile enough defender to play key minutes as part of the eventual NBA champions.

Otto Porter Jr. letting it fly for the Warriors 🎯 pic.twitter.com/p4j0TNXC3e

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 10, 2022

Do you take on Porter expecting him to start? Absolutely not. This would be the type of deal that you expect someone from within – say Ziaire Williams or David Roddy – to win the starting small forward job. With the Grizzlies current roster crunch, say you take players like John Konchar and Jake LaRavia – one being a cheap/durable end of rotation contributor, the other being a recent 1st round pick – and send them to Toronto for Porter.

It’d be Toronto, not Memphis, potentially sending out the asset (like a heavily protected 1st or two 2nd round picks in the future). And if Porter is healthy (admittedly a major “if), given his size/length and shooting, he is what LaRavia MIGHT eventually be, and what Konchar can’t be due to physical characteristics like height and wingspan.

If you want more of a sure thing? It’s out there…but it’ll be more costly.

Get the starter while maintaining flexibility

The Brooklyn Nets have a plethora of wings at their disposal entering the upcoming offseason. What they lack, however, is a point guard who can facilitate offense and allow for Spencer Dinwiddie to play off-ball and be a scorer consistently.

Tyus Jones makes a lot of sense for the Nets. And that’s been stated as part of deals for Mikal Bridges (almost impossible now), Dorian Finney-Smith (more possible), and a sign and trade with Cam Johnson (perhaps the best of both worlds in terms of improbable, but possible).

What about Royce O’Neale?

O’Neale, also entering the final year of his contract, could be the “addition by subtraction” pivot piece the Grizzlies are looking for. A career 39% three point shooter, while O’Neale is not the defensive force that Dillon Brooks is he has been asked on numerous occasions to be the lead defender on opponent’s best players. He’s paid the price for it at times, as well.

James Harden has been ejected from Sixers-Nets Game 3 for his groin shot to Royce O'Neale 👀

Good ejection or bad ejection?pic.twitter.com/PdOV69VuZ6

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 21, 2023

He also isn’t the creator off the dribble (for better or worse) that Dillon Brooks was. But again, the point of this exercise is finding additional areas of growth for the Grizzlies “Big Three”. O’Neale provides spacing, meaning if Ja Morant initiates a pick and roll with Steven Adams and has Jaren Jackson Jr. (growing as a dribble penetrator), “Downhill” Desmond Bane (much better in this area), and the stationary – but accurate – O’Neale on the perimeter, it’s the elite Ja, very good Bane, and good Jaren left to attack the bucket off the bounce.

Wouldn’t you rather them be the ones doing that any way?

And no, it’s not an ideal fit defensively. But it frees up space – since in this scenario, again, it’d likely be Brooklyn attaching the asset for the better player – for Memphis to get more specific, both in the draft and beyond.

Maybe the “asset” is a pick swap. Memphis moves up from #25 to #21 and gets a future 2nd plus O’Neale for Tyus. The Grizzlies could be in better position to draft a “replacement” for Jones. You’d hope after a year that Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, or David Roddy could perhaps “have next” behind the 2024 free agent O’Neale. At #21 the Grizzlies could potentially acquire a plethora of combo guards – Kobe Bufkin of Michigan, Jalen Hood-Schifino of Indiana, or Colby Jones of Xavier are just two possibilities of players who could both back-up Ja Morant (Jones perhaps is a stretch there but he thrived creating as a secondary facilitator at Xavier) as well as play alongside him given their size and skill set.

Then, with the team’s Mid-Level Exception, a player like Harrison Barnes as a bench scorer/leader (or perhaps even the starter instead of O’Neale), Matisse Thybulle (dominant defender, limited offensively), or Ayo Dosunmu (a young two-way guard) could be a target. But the team remains true to their “big three” regardless. A player would have to be waived by Memphis (perhaps Kenneth Lofton Jr., especially if Barnes was the choice since he can be a “big” depending on lineups) but the depth would be replenished and no major money or draft capital would be spent.

In fact, the Grizzlies SAVE money in the O’Neale deal – and again, improve draft standing.

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One of the positives of the current state of play for the Grizzlies is a big trade swing is possible for them. They have that option, should they choose to accept it. But precedent suggests Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman will be more prudent, with the idea being that build a consistent contender is more important than a one-year “all-in” maneuver. O’Neale would be more of a sure thing than Porter Jr., but both bring veteran presence and experience, plus sorely needed spacing to the halfcourt offense. And while neither is the defensive player Dillon Brooks is, there would be other avenues – both internally and externally – to address that.

It’s not an ideal solution. But it may be the one that allows Memphis to stay true to their organizational values and still get the Grizzlies better – at least offensively – entering a key offseason for the franchise. And in the absence of Dillon Brooks, simply putting a valid shooter with some defensive acumen could be enough given what Brooks was offensively last year. Between Williams and Roddy in particular, you have two young wings who have shown defensive potential.

One player may not be able to replace Dillon Brooks. But between a few?

The aggregate could mean more success in Memphis. Just ask Tayshaun Prince.