The Memphis Grizzlies surprised the NBA world by upsetting the Golden State Warriors in last year’s Play-In Tournament.
As a result, the Grizzlies qualified for the playoffs and pushed the top-seeded Utah Jazz in their first-round series.
Ja Morant elevated to star status.
The Grizzlies now seem poised to make another run at the playoffs, especially with a healthy Jaren Jackson Jr. in tow.
So the deal to acquire Patrick Beverley, Daniel Oturu, and Rajon Rondo in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, while confusing on the surface, stands as a win for the franchise.
Particularly in the light of Memphis’s second trade, flipping Beverley to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Jarrett Culver and forward Juancho Hernangomez.
JUST IN – Another trade in NBA free agency:
Memphis Grizzlies receive:
◻️ Patrick Beverley
◻️ Rajon Rondo
◻️ Daniel OturuLos Angeles Clippers receive:
◻️ Eric BledsoeA source confirms to @LawMurrayTheNU and first reported by ESPN. pic.twitter.com/L5Zf6qZKqA
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 16, 2021
Grizzlies Shuffle The Roster
The trades completed thus far have loaded the roster with complementary talent, although the team will have to make space for the newly acquired players from Minnesota.
Although keeping Beverley seemed like a good idea, the Grizzlies opted instead to use the playoff-tested veteran to secure potentially undervalued, young talent.
Culver comes to Memphis after an underwhelming start to his NBA career.
The former No. 6 overall draft pick in 2019, Culver averaged 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 34 games last season.
Hernangomez, meanwhile, provided Minnesota with 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 52 contests last season.
Culver enters a crowded backcourt, and unless he regains his collegiate form, where he led Texas Tech to the NCAA title game, he’ll likely be an end-of-the-bench fixture.
The Grizzlies get a year to evaluate Culver’s potential and could cut ties with him without penalty next offseason.
The same is true for Hernangomez, whose deal becomes non-guaranteed next season.
It’s hard to envision a scenario where Culver, or Rondo for that matter, breaks into a guard rotation that features Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones, and De’Anthony Melton.
Should the Grizzlies opt to keep Rondo, the four-time All-Star and three-time NBA assist leader could move Morant off the ball, allowing the young star to focus on scoring rather than running the offense.
Rondo’s unlikely to be traded again, considering his age (35) and contract ($7.5 million).
He stands as a buyout candidate.
Hernangomez must regain his shooting form to find playing time.
As a rookie with the Denver Nuggets, Hernangomez made 41 percent of his three-point attempts.
But since, that shooting percentage has slipped to below 35 percent.
In Oturu, Memphis landed a little-used and under-sized center.
Oturu appeared in just 30 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season.
He averaged just 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in 5.4 minutes per appearance.
While at just 21 years old, Oturu has potential.
However, playing behind the likes of Jackson, as well as Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, and Xavier Tillman makes meaningful minutes for Hernangomez and Oturu hard to envision.
True Value For Memphis Is Financial Flexibility
Cap ramifications for LAC/MEM:
LAC
🏀Eric Bledsoe: $18.1M and $19.4M ($3.9M GTY)
💰LAC will see their tax bill drop from $125M to $95M (savings of $30M)
💰$8.3M TE for LACMEM
🏀Patrick Beverley: $14.3M
🏀Rajon Rondo: $7.5M ($750K likely bonus)
🏀Daniel Oturu: $1.5M— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 16, 2021
This trade may ultimately go down as one of the rare win-wins in NBA swaps.
For the Clippers, this trade signals an all-in push while Kawhi Leonard rehabs his knee injury.
The move also relieves some of their significant luxury tax bill.
For Memphis, getting off Bledsoe’s contract, which ran through the 2022-2023 season, provides future financial flexibility.
The Grizzlies’ top talents currently hold rookie scale contracts.
But those players will be due hefty extensions in near future, so acquiring these players opens the books somewhat.
The second trade with Minnesota stands as a low-risk, high-reward play by the Grizzlies.
If Culver finds his form as a former top-10 pick, Memphis has yet another young, talented wing.
This deal seems like a long play by the Grizzlies, considering none of the players acquired are guaranteed to stick with the club long term.
NEXT: Ja Morant Vs Trae Young: Who Would You Rather Build Around?