Trade Grades
Click here for link to Los Angeles Clippers Trade Grades
Clippers get: SF Jeff Green
Grizzlies get: SG Lance Stephenson, 2019 first-rounder
I get it, I really do. Star C Marc Gasol recently went down with a season-ending injury, and since then, Memphis has dealt away their top two wing-men: SG Courtney Lee, and now Green. It really is a shame too, because Green was putting up a solid 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and had been a very steady contributor for the Grizzlies.
But naturally, if you're going to semi-tank and trade away your core pieces, you'd expect a good return, right? Unfortunately, Memphis got Lance Stephenson instead. Joking, but Stephenson is still only averaging a mere 4.5 points per game this season, and by no means holds a candle to a productive player like Green anymore. Stephenson's contract is expiring this season, and after his failures in both Charlotte and LA, that's probably a good thing for Memphis. As for the pick, it's nice, but it's well into the future and has protections. Not exactly the haul that the Grizzlies should've been looking for.
Grade: C
Trade Grades
Click here for link to Charlotte Hornets Trade Grades
Click here for link to Miami Heat Trade Grades
Grizzlies get: C/PF Chris Andersen, SG/SF P.J Hairston, 2 second-round picks (via Miami), 2 second-round picks (via Charlotte)
Heat get: PG Brian Roberts
Hornets get: SG Courtney Lee
Translation: Memphis is throwing in the towel on this season, in wake of star C Marc Gasol being done for the year. How do I know? Well, the Grizzlies already rank 27th in the league in outside shooting, Lee was by far their best outside shooter, and the four teams to make the conference finals last season ranked top 5 in outside shooting (ie: there's a strong correlation between threes and wins). Connect the dots: this trade wasn't about winning games this season.
But it's about winning games in the future, while also still remaining competitive now. Hairston was a former first-round pick and is still only 23, meaning there is a glimmer of hope for potential. Albeit disappointing so far, he does a little bit (6 points, 1.1 threes per game) to fill Lee's void. Andersen was really just a cap-filler, but with Gasol injured, the Grizzlies could use an extra big man anyways.
Still, the real prize of this deal for Memphis are the draft picks. In a league of uncertainty, the value of draft picks are at an all-time high. Four second-round picks! Four! You could, like, trade those to the 76ers for their entire roster (kidding... kind of).
They gave a lot, but they got a lot too.
Grade: A-
Trade Grades
Click here for link to Miami Heat Trade Grades
Heat get: PG/SG Beno Udrih, PF/C Jarnell Stokes
Grizzlies get: PG Mario Chalmers, SF James Ennis
Something needed to change in Memphis, and something needed to change fast. After winning 56, 50, and 55 games in the last three seasons, respectively, the Grizzlies are off to an alarming 3-5 start in which superstar C Marc Gasol has not been playing up to his high standards. If you ask me, it's because they've fallen too far behind modern basketball: in an era in which there is a glaring correlation between fast-pace and shooting threes to success, Memphis still employs this 'Grit-n-Grind' strategy of playing in the half-court, milking the shot clock, and giving the ball to their big men down low. While it has worked in the past, it may be time to call into question if that style of play works anymore, although we are only 8 games in. No matter where you stand on that issue, however, you can agree that Memphis made a step in the right direction here. Although struggling with his shot over the past couple of seasons, PG/SG Mario Chalmers is still a career 36% three-point shooter, and an upgrade from backup PG Beno Udrih. PF/C Jarnell Stokes was also rather expendable with the large amount of frontcourt depth, so the Grizzlies gave up very little to snag Chalmers, taking advantage of Miami's tough financial position. Chalmers will help, but not fix, Memphis' long-ball (or lack of them, rather) problem by playing behind star PG Mike Conley.
Grade: A-
Click here for link to Los Angeles Clippers Trade Grades
Clippers get: SF Jeff Green
Grizzlies get: SG Lance Stephenson, 2019 first-rounder
I get it, I really do. Star C Marc Gasol recently went down with a season-ending injury, and since then, Memphis has dealt away their top two wing-men: SG Courtney Lee, and now Green. It really is a shame too, because Green was putting up a solid 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and had been a very steady contributor for the Grizzlies.
But naturally, if you're going to semi-tank and trade away your core pieces, you'd expect a good return, right? Unfortunately, Memphis got Lance Stephenson instead. Joking, but Stephenson is still only averaging a mere 4.5 points per game this season, and by no means holds a candle to a productive player like Green anymore. Stephenson's contract is expiring this season, and after his failures in both Charlotte and LA, that's probably a good thing for Memphis. As for the pick, it's nice, but it's well into the future and has protections. Not exactly the haul that the Grizzlies should've been looking for.
Grade: C
Trade Grades
Click here for link to Charlotte Hornets Trade Grades
Click here for link to Miami Heat Trade Grades
Grizzlies get: C/PF Chris Andersen, SG/SF P.J Hairston, 2 second-round picks (via Miami), 2 second-round picks (via Charlotte)
Heat get: PG Brian Roberts
Hornets get: SG Courtney Lee
Translation: Memphis is throwing in the towel on this season, in wake of star C Marc Gasol being done for the year. How do I know? Well, the Grizzlies already rank 27th in the league in outside shooting, Lee was by far their best outside shooter, and the four teams to make the conference finals last season ranked top 5 in outside shooting (ie: there's a strong correlation between threes and wins). Connect the dots: this trade wasn't about winning games this season.
But it's about winning games in the future, while also still remaining competitive now. Hairston was a former first-round pick and is still only 23, meaning there is a glimmer of hope for potential. Albeit disappointing so far, he does a little bit (6 points, 1.1 threes per game) to fill Lee's void. Andersen was really just a cap-filler, but with Gasol injured, the Grizzlies could use an extra big man anyways.
Still, the real prize of this deal for Memphis are the draft picks. In a league of uncertainty, the value of draft picks are at an all-time high. Four second-round picks! Four! You could, like, trade those to the 76ers for their entire roster (kidding... kind of).
They gave a lot, but they got a lot too.
Grade: A-
Trade Grades
Click here for link to Miami Heat Trade Grades
Heat get: PG/SG Beno Udrih, PF/C Jarnell Stokes
Grizzlies get: PG Mario Chalmers, SF James Ennis
Something needed to change in Memphis, and something needed to change fast. After winning 56, 50, and 55 games in the last three seasons, respectively, the Grizzlies are off to an alarming 3-5 start in which superstar C Marc Gasol has not been playing up to his high standards. If you ask me, it's because they've fallen too far behind modern basketball: in an era in which there is a glaring correlation between fast-pace and shooting threes to success, Memphis still employs this 'Grit-n-Grind' strategy of playing in the half-court, milking the shot clock, and giving the ball to their big men down low. While it has worked in the past, it may be time to call into question if that style of play works anymore, although we are only 8 games in. No matter where you stand on that issue, however, you can agree that Memphis made a step in the right direction here. Although struggling with his shot over the past couple of seasons, PG/SG Mario Chalmers is still a career 36% three-point shooter, and an upgrade from backup PG Beno Udrih. PF/C Jarnell Stokes was also rather expendable with the large amount of frontcourt depth, so the Grizzlies gave up very little to snag Chalmers, taking advantage of Miami's tough financial position. Chalmers will help, but not fix, Memphis' long-ball (or lack of them, rather) problem by playing behind star PG Mike Conley.
Grade: A-