Getty Jonas Valanciunas
The Memphis Grizzlies were expected to make waves ahead of the NBA trade deadline, and roughly one hour before the final buzzer, they did just that. In the span of just minutes, the Grizzlies struck two deals, one of which sent Marc Gasol out of town, ending an incredible run with the team. Memphis added a few intriguing pieces and players who should make an immediate impact as well.
The first of the two deals, both reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski will bring Los Angeles Clippers guard Avery Bradley to town in exchange for JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple.
Memphis has traded Garrett Temple and JaMychal Green to the Clippers for Avery Bradley, league sources tell ESPN.
The second deal was the bigger one, which sent Gasol to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles and a 2024 second-round pick.
Toronto is planning to send Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Milles and a 2024 second-round pick to the the Grizzlies for Gasol, league sources tell ESPN.
After the two deals, the Grizzlies are set to boast a new-look core and this is with an hour remaining until the deadline. Let’s check out the current roster and starting lineup as things stand, with a potential Mike Conley deal still possible.
Grizzlies Roster & Starting Lineup After Marc Gasol Trade
*Notates expected starter
C: Jonas Valanciunas*, Joakim Noah
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr.*, Ivan Rabb, Bruno Caboclo
SF: Kyle Anderson*, CJ Miles, Chandler Parsons, Julian Washburn
SG: Justin Holiday*, Avery Bradley, Jevon Carter, Yuta Watanabe
PG: Mike Conley*, Delon Wright, Shelvin Mack
The deal is interesting as it provides not only depth across the roster but also provides the Grizzlies a solid guard in Wright who could even see additional minutes if Conley is dealt. While Gasol and Conley were both hot-button topics over recent days, many believed the veteran center would be heading to the Charlotte Hornets.
Obviously, the Raptors were able to get the deal done and provide a more enticing package to the Grizzlies than the Hornets. Moving forward, Memphis has added a few young pieces and moved a decent-sized contract in Gasol in the process. The 34-year-old big man has a player option for next season which comes with a cap hit of more than $25.59 million, per Spotrac.
Valanciunas is in a similar spot with his contract and has a player option for next year that’s just north of $17.6 million. With the team also moving Green, this should free up minutes for young forward Ivan Rabb behind Jaren Jackson Jr., and both players have shown quite a bit of upside to this point.
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