The Grizzlies are gauging the trade market for soon-to-be free agents Jeff Green and Courtney Lee, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who cautions that the team isn’t shopping them. Rather, they’re doing what they’re “supposed to do” with players on expiring deals and seeing what they could get in return before they have the chance to walk away in the summer, Stein writes. Still, it appears the team has more willingness to trade Green and Lee than fellow veterans Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, whom they have no interest in sending away, according to Stein.
The 29-year-old Green, who makes $9.45MM, doesn’t appear to be the most popular teammate in Memphis, where one prominent Grizzlies player “wanted to wring his neck” after a loss two weeks ago, expressing profound frustration with the combo forward, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal reported. Green’s attitude hasn’t been stellar, either, according to Tillery. His play has left much to be desired, as his 11.4 points per game are his fewest since he posted 10.5 as a rookie in 2007/08. Coach Dave Joerger recently removed him from the starting lineup.
Memphis reportedly turned away entreaties from the Timberwolves about a swap of Lee for Kevin Martin, so it doesn’t appear that Lee will come cheaply. The 30-year-old who’s a career 38.2% 3-point shooter started the season in a troublesome slump from behind the arc, canning just 22.0% of his treys through November, but since then, he’s nailed 44.4% of them. He’s seeing a $5.675MM salary this year.
Complicating matters for the Grizzlies is that they’re only about $2MM shy of the luxury tax threshold. They sit fifth in the Western Conference at 27-20 following early-season questions about Joerger’s future. It’s not entirely clear what sort of offers they’d find most enticing in exchange for Green and Lee, though it doesn’t seem the club is ready for a tear-down.
What do you think the Grizzlies would be able to get for Green and Lee? Leave a comment to give your input.
Well maybe green can go to Cleveland and Lee would go to new York
4 Team Trade! (Memphis, Cleveland, LA and NO)
Memphis gets Julius Randle and DeAngelo Russell from the Lakers
Lakers get Kevin Love, Tyreke Evans, Chalmers and Kendrick Perkins
Cavs get Ryan Anderson, Courtney Lee and Hibbert
Pelicans get Jeff Green, Lou Williams and Mozgov
The 4-way trade is not too shabby. Do the salaries work out?
Yup. That’s why Perkins is in the mix.
Spurs,Memphis trade:
Memphis get kyle anderson,matt bonner
2017 2nd round pick, cash on top to make it work…
Spurs get jeff green, 2018 future 2nd round pick, courtney lee
Spurs get a defensive stopper in jeff green that will play hard on or off ball at all times just a typical spurs like player… yes giving up kyle anderson is a blow but i feel like with boris being as good passing the ball and scoring at times we will be fine… and kwhai doing what he does best!! Not worried at all..we are most likely going to waive courtney lee we have way to many guards. If not he will be sent to the spurs d league..
Memphis will get a great ball handler in kyle and a decent scorer and a three point specialist in matt bonner to spread the floor that creates space for zbo and marc to bang one on one on most defenders