Luke Kennard

Western Notes: Jazz, Holiday, Morant, Vezenkov, Strawther

October 12th, 2023 at 7:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz were involved in the Jrue Holiday sweepstakes before the All-Defensive guard was traded from Portland to Boston, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Larsen hears that Utah considered an offer that included multiple first-round picks for the standout guard. However, he notes that ESPN’s Bobby Marks said during a radio appearance that the Jazz were wary of pursuing Holiday too aggressively without any assurances that he’d commit to the team long-term. The 33-year-old holds a player option for the 2024/25 season, so he could have been just a one-year rental.

Having missed out on Holiday, the Jazz don’t have a clear-cut option to start at point guard and it’s clear that head coach Will Hardy is “struggling with this decision,” Larsen writes. As Tony Jones of The Athletic notes, each of the candidates for the role has exhibited his flaws as well as his strengths so far during camp and the preseason.

Collin Sexton isn’t a natural point guard and Talen Horton-Tucker and Keyonte George are still relatively raw as point guards, according to Jones, who adds that starting Kris Dunn would make it tricky for the team to find minutes off the bench for Sexton. Jordan Clarkson was also considered a candidate for the point guard job, but the Jazz appear more comfortable having him in a sixth-man role, so the competition could be down to four players.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

When Ja Morant‘s 25-game suspension was announced in June, the NBA indicated that the Grizzlies guard would have to meet certain conditions to be reinstated. The league provided an update this week, indicating that Morant’s suspension won’t be shortened but also isn’t expected to extend beyond 25 games, report Sam Amick and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Ziaire Williams played well as the Grizzlies‘ fifth starter in Tuesday’s preseason win over Milwaukee, but head coach Taylor Jenkins isn’t ready to commit to that spot for the regular season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Luke Kennard appears to be Williams’ top competition for that starting spot, with Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and John Konchar looming as wild card, per Cole.
Kings head coach Mike Brown is unsure whether NBA newcomer Sasha Vezenkov will be part of the team’s rotation when the regular season begins, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. In a separate story, Anderson points out that Vezenkov started in place of injured forward Keegan Murray (thumb) on Wednesday, but Chris Duarte took Vezenkov’s spot in the lineup to open the third quarter. According to Brown, Vezenkov’s ability to hold his own on defense will be a significant factor in determining his role.
Nuggets rookie Julian Strawther, vying for a rotation spot, had an impressive preseason debut on Tuesday vs. Phoenix, piling up 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists with no turnovers in 21 minutes off the bench. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post has the details, observing that Strawther’s ability to space the floor may help earn him a regular role.

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Kennard, Smart, Schedule

August 17th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Grizzlies, like every team in the league, released their schedule for the 2023/24 season on Thursday. This year’s schedule is particularly crucial to the Grizzlies, who are without star guard Ja Morant for the first 25 games of the season. Morant was suspended after a video surfaced of the Grizzlies star with a firearm earlier this summer.

We now know when we should expect Morant’s return: Dec. 19. That date marks the first game in which Morant is eligible to return from his suspension, a matchup in New Orleans against the Pelicans. The game between the two Southwest Division foes will be nationally televised on TNT.

Memphis finished each of the past two years as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but Morant didn’t play more than 61 games in either season. The Grizzlies went 20-5 in 2021/22 and 11-10 in ’22/23 without Morant, though the play of former guard Tyus Jones helped allay any concerns about the play of the point guard position. Jones is now a member of the Wizards.

We have more from the Grizzlies:

Being without Morant for an extended period of time means the Grizzlies have questions to answer about their rotation. Unlike previous seasons, Jones isn’t there to help take the reins of the point. Dillon Brooks also departed in free agency, leaving Memphis with several possibilities to flesh out the rotation. The Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole writes that Luke Kennard is the safest fit to join the starting lineup.
Cole notes that players like David Roddy and Ziaire Williams, for example, might be more natural fits from a positional standpoint, but Kennard’s shooting is a known commodity while Roddy, Williams and others are younger and aren’t as projectable. Lineups including both Kennard and fellow Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane had a net rating of +33 and an effective field goal percentage of 59.9% last year in their first round series against the Lakers. Cole also sees Kennard as a good fit next to Marcus Smart, who will join the starting lineup after being acquired this offseason.
Smart’s first game as a visitor against the Celtics is on Feb. 4 on ESPN. Smart spent the first nine years of his NBA career in Boston before being traded this offseason in a move that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the C’s. Before being moved, Smart was the longest-tenured Celtic and only Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry had spent as much or more time than Smart did with the team that drafted them.
In case you missed it, the Grizzlies open up the season at home against the Pelicans. Memphis has 13 nationally televised games in ’23/24.

Grizzlies Notes: Aldama, Kennard, Former Owners

August 11th, 2023 at 8:46pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama is playing for the Spanish national team this summer as it looks to defend its gold medal from the 2019 World Cup. In an exhibition match against Luka Doncic and Slovenia on Friday, Aldama led Spain to a 99-79 victory, recording a game-high 18 points along with seven assists and six rebounds, according to Eurohoops.net.

The 30th overall pick of the 2021 draft, Aldama improved across the board during his second season with Memphis in 2022/23, averaging 9.0 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .470/.353/.750 shooting in 77 games (20 starts, 21.8 MPG). The 22-year-old could be in line for a bigger role next season, as Brandon Clarke will likely be sidelined for most — if not all — of ’23/24 after tearing his Achilles tendon in March, though general manager Zach Kleiman did express optimism in June regarding Clarke’s recovery timeline.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Sharpshooter Luke Kennard, a trade deadline addition who led the NBA in three-point percentage each of the past two seasons, praised Memphis’ offseason moves and is bullish on the team’s outlook for ’23/24, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes (subscriber link). “We got some really good additions this summer, and I think they’re going to help our team out a lot,” Kennard said. “We’re really excited. I know we have a really good team this year. With our coaches and everybody just buying in to what we want to do, we have a really good chance of being a really special team this year.” The Grizzlies signed veteran guard Derrick Rose — Kennard’s former teammate with Detroit — in free agency, and added Marcus Smart in a three-team trade that sent Tyus Jones to the Wizards, among other transactions.
The former owners of the Grizzlies have lost a court case involving a $10.7MM tax deduction for deferred compensation dating back to 2012. Michael McMann of Sportico has the details.
In case you missed it, Jayson Tatum recently discussed what Smart will bring to the Grizzlies, and Jaren Jackson Jr. was voted by his peers as the most impressive player of Team USA’s training camp.

Grizzlies’ Luke Kennard Out For Game 6 With Sore Shoulder

April 28th, 2023 at 8:39pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard will miss Friday’s pivotal Game 6 against the Lakers due to left shoulder soreness, the team announced (via Twitter).

The veteran guard had been listed as questionable, though he didn’t take any shots while media members were present during Friday’s shootaround, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Head coach Taylor Jenkins later said Kennard was “still dealing with some soreness” and was a game-time decision, but obviously he has now been ruled out (Twitter link via Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group).

It’s a big loss for Memphis. Kennard, who led the league in three-point percentage (49.4%) for the second consecutive season, sustained a stinger in Wednesday’s Game 5 and exited the contest early. He initially sounded optimistic about his chances of playing tonight.

The 26-year-old’s counting stats through five games in the first-round series are modest: 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game. However, he’s shooting 50% from deep, and the attention he draws has been key for the Grizzlies — they’re plus-16.7 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court, versus minus-12.8 when he’s off, per NBA.com.

As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones, John Konchar and David Roddy — who have all been struggling behind the arc — could be candidates for more playing time with Kennard sidelined. Jenkins also said Ziaire Williams may receive a look, according to Cole, though the second-year wing has played just two total minutes in the series.

Grizzlies Notes: Kennard, Bane, Jenkins, Game 5 Win

April 27th, 2023 at 5:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Luke Kennard‘s health could be a key element in the Grizzlies’ aim to win their series against the Lakers after trailing 3-1. Kennard injured his left shoulder in the second half of Game 5 but he provided an optimistic update after Memphis’ win. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

“I just got a stinger out there,” Kennard said. “Getting it looked at (Thursday), trying to find out a little more, but it’s all good right now.”

With Dillon Brooks struggling with his shot and the Lakers sagging off him, Kennard has proved to be a better offensive option, Joe Vardon of The Athletic notes. He’s shooting 50 percent on 3-pointers and 52 percent overall in this series.

“Luke is one of the best shooters in the league,” Ja Morant said. “Obviously that opens up a lot of space on the floor and we just play off that.”

We have more on the Grizzlies:

Desmond Bane racked up 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Game 5 and made a de facto guarantee that the Grizzlies will win Game 6 on the Lakers’ home floor, Tim MacMahon of ESPN relays. “We got to come with the right edge and the right road mentality, but I said it out there and I’ll say it again,” Bane said. “We’re going to be back for a Game 7 in front of the best fans in the NBA.”
While there’s no indication he’ll be replaced if the team flops in the first round, coach Taylor Jenkins is under pressure to show he can be successful in the postseason. Cole and Mark Giann0tto of the Commercial Appeal examine that topic.
In a subscriber-only story, Chris Herrinigton of the Daily Memphian examines how the Game 5 victory could propel Memphis the rest of the series, including the fact that Morant and Bane are hot offensively at the same time.

Southwest Notes: Irving, Doncic, Kennard, Rockets

March 30th, 2023 at 11:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-Star Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving acknowledged that things have not gone smoothly since he arrived in Dallas last month and teamed up with fellow All-Star guard Luka Doncic, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“I think that now, again, just where we are in the season, and where other teams are positioned already, it kind of looks like a bit of a clusterf—, to be honest with you,” Irving said. “Because we’re 37-40, and we’re trying to fight to get into the play-in game. It’s not the expectations I don’t think any of us had in that locker room.”

The team has gone 6-14 across its last 20 games and is currently on the outside of the Western Conference looking in, as the No. 11 seed.

“I just have to be at peace with where I am and which I am, and trust of the guys that I’m going to be in that war room with every single day,” Irving said. “So, I’m appreciative of them giving me the opportunity. It’s been nothing but great here. And I’ve been at peace.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks‘ most recent loss, a 116-108 defeat Wednesday against the Sixers, could help accelerate the end of the burgeoning on-court partnership of Doncic and Irving, writes Tim Cato of The Athletic. The team has just five games left and is currently one game behind the West’s tenth-seeded Thunder. As Cato notes, Irving could leave in free agency, which would be an indictment of the Mavericks’ team-building, coaching, and extant personnel.
Grizzlies reserve guard Luke Kennard may not have been the buzziest trade deadline roster addition, but he could be a crucial X-factor for Memphis in the playoffs, opines Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Like every other tanking team this season, the rebuilding 18-59 Rockets are hoping to nab the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft, almost certain to be high-upside prospect Victor Wembanyama. Kelly Iko of The Athletic takes a look at a variety of lottery selection scenarios for the Rockets, who are in position to claim – at worst – a top-six or -seven pick.

Grizzlies Notes: Williams, Kennard, Jackson, Morant

March 26th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies wing Ziaire Williams is considered week-to-week due to right foot and ankle soreness, the team announced on Saturday (Twitter link).

As a result of injuries and Memphis’ depth, Williams has played less this season than he did as a rookie. After starting 31 of his 62 appearances last season and averaging 21.7 minutes per night, he has logged just 14.7 MPG in 36 contests (three starts) this season. His shooting numbers (.424/.247/.778) have also dipped this season, so he’s extremely unlikely to have a regular rotation role in the playoffs even if he does get healthy by then.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Acquired at last month’s trade deadline, Luke Kennard has already entered the Grizzlies’ record books, having knocked down a franchise-record 10 three-pointers in Friday’s blowout win over Houston, Damichael Cole writes for The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Kennard, who went 10-of-11 on threes, became the first player in league history to shoot at least 90% of the field while making at least 10 three-pointers (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies have been challenging Kennard to be more aggressive in seeking out his shot and the veteran wing has helped add stability to an inconsistent area of the team’s offense, according to Cole at The Commerical Appeal.
In the latest episode of their podcast, Cole and Evan Barnes of The Commercial Appeal discuss how Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s recent offensive surge and the return of Ja Morant will raise the Grizzlies’ ceiling entering the postseason.
In case you missed it, the Grizzlies became the second Western Conference team to clinch a playoff spot this season, doing so on Friday night (Twitter link). Memphis is 3.5 games back of Denver for the No. 1 seed in the conference and has a 1.5-game cushion on No. 3 Sacramento

Trade Breakdown: Eric Gordon To The Clippers (Three-Team Deal)

March 15th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

This is the eighth entry in our series breaking down the significant trades of the 2022/23 season. As opposed to giving out grades, this series explores why the teams were motivated to make the moves. Let’s dive into a three-team deal between the Clippers, Rockets and Grizzlies…

On February 9:

The Clippers acquired Eric Gordon (from the Rockets) and three second-round picks (from the Grizzlies; details here).
The Grizzlies acquired Luke Kennard (from the Clippers) and the right to swap a 2026 second-round pick with Los Angeles.
The Rockets acquired Danny Green (from the Grizzlies), John Wall (from the Clippers), and the right to swap the Bucks’ 2023 first-round pick for either the Clippers’ or Thunder’s 2023 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable; top-six protected; from Clippers)

The Rockets’ perspective:

Shortly after the trade, both Green and Wall were subsequently released by Houston; Green reached a buyout agreement and later signed with Cleveland, while Wall remains a free agent.

Multiple reports indicated that Houston was interested in keeping Green around, but obviously he had other plans. That makes a lot of sense — the three-time champion is 35 years old and the Rockets are the second-worst team in the NBA after finishing dead last in each of the previous two seasons.

After reaching a buyout with Wall over the summer, the Rockets wound up reacquiring him in this deal following his tumultuous first stint with the franchise. Considering he called his initial go-round “beyond trash,” it’s not surprising that he was waived outright this time.

The Rockets were rumored to be looking for a first-round pick for Gordon for at least a couple of years, and instead of receiving an extra one, they’re going to end up swapping a pick they control for one with much higher upside.

At the time of the trade, the Bucks were 37-17 and the Clippers were 31-27. Those picks would have landed at Nos. 28 and 18, respectively, last month.

The Bucks proceeded to go on a long winning streak and are now 50-19, holding a three-game lead over Boston for the best record in the NBA. Milwaukee’s 2023 first-rounder would currently land at No. 30.

The Clippers are now 36-33. Their first-rounder remains at No. 18.

However, the 34-35 Thunder only trail the Clippers by two games, and they have swap rights with the Clippers – if Oklahoma City passes L.A. in the standings, Houston would instead receive the Thunder’s 2023 first-rounder.

If both the Clippers and Thunder miss the playoffs – which is certainly possible, given how jumbled the standings are – then the Thunder would receive the more favorable of the two lottery picks. Assuming the second pick falls outside of the top six (highly likely given how the NBA’s draft lottery works), that pick would go to Houston, with the Clippers receiving Milwaukee’s pick.

All of that is basically out of the Rockets’ control. The Clippers could easily finish as high as fourth in the West or could drop out of the playoffs entirely – six teams trail them in the standings by three games or less.

Long story short, there’s a chance the Rockets could receive a late lottery pick, but perhaps more likely a pick in the late teens, in exchange for Gordon and a pick in the 27-to-30 range.

Gordon was having a down season for Houston, is 34 years old, and makes $19.57MM this season (his $20.92MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed). I’m honestly surprised the Rockets were able to get as much for him as they did, given those factors.

The Rockets also created a $3.09MM traded player exception in this deal, as noted in our TPE tracker.

The Clippers’ perspective:

Gordon is eight years older than Kennard, and it would be a little surprising if the Clippers bring him back next season on his current contract. Still, he’s a better all-around player than Kennard, and the Clippers did get back three second-rounders from Memphis to somewhat offset giving up a higher value first-rounder to Houston.

While Kennard has remained a highly efficient three-point shooter with the Clippers in ’22/23, he battled a calf strain that sidelined him for significant stretches – he only appeared in 35 of 58 games. He also wasn’t a major part of the team’s playoff rotation a couple years ago and can be frustratingly passive on offense considering he’s a minus on the defensive end – it’s bizarre to see a 44.9% three-point shooter not be more aggressive looking for his shot.

Wall struggled mightily on both ends with Los Angeles, posting a .408/303/.681 shooting line (.498 true shooting percentage) while playing porous defense. Shedding his salary in this deal could be viewed as a bonus, as there were rumors that the Clippers might buy him out if they couldn’t trade him.

Guard play was a major weakness on the roster, and Gordon was a necessary upgrade for a team hoping to compete for a title. Sure, the Clippers took on the most risk in this trade, but you could easily make the argument that not making changes would have been an even bigger risk – both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George can opt out of their contracts in 2024, and the team still owes unprotected first-rounders and swaps to the Thunder through 2026 as part of the George trade.

I didn’t view Gordon as having a relatively down season with Houston as that big of a deal. His driving ability was still there, his true shooting percentage (57.2%) remained above average for a guard, and can you really blame him for being frustrated by the situation?

When Gordon signed with the Rockets in 2016, they were a regular playoff team that had already made one conference finals appearance (in 2015). They came very close to making the Finals in 2018, but wound up losing in seven games.

The following season, the Rockets won 53 games and were eliminated by Golden State again, after which Gordon signed an extension. They made the playoffs again in ‘19/20, but everything turned to dust when James Harden requested a trade. The past few seasons Gordon became the de facto elder statesman on a roster full of very young players.

That’s not to say Gordon is still in his physical prime; that came when he first entered the league back in 2008 with the Clippers, the team that selected him No. 7 overall out of Indiana. A couple of significant knee injuries from 2011-12 changed that trajectory.

However, Gordon still evolved into a valuable player, leaning into his long-range shooting and quick first step to attack players off the dribble with Houston. He still possesses those qualities in his 15th NBA season.

In 10 games (25.0 MPG) in his second stint with the Clippers, he’s averaging 10.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG and 2.4 APG on .447/.386/.762 shooting splits (.592 TS%). He has posted a 3.43 assist-to-turnover ratio in those contests, which is an impressive mark.

One of Gordon’s strengths is that he’s self-aware. He knows his job isn’t to be a primary scorer anymore — it’s to shoot open threes, leverage his shooting to drive and draw fouls, or kick out to open shooters. He’s a smart, unselfish passer on the perimeter.

Another positive attribute that Gordon brings to the Clippers is that at 6’3″ and 215 pounds, he has a low center of gravity and a strong core, which allows him to defend forwards. Houston often ran switching schemes in the past, and he’s comfortable as part of a five-out offense as well – two things that Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue favors in the postseason.

Gordon has played the entire fourth quarter in each of the past three games, all victories. I expect that to continue as the Clippers attempt to secure a playoff spot and make a deep postseason run.

The Grizzlies’ perspective:

Memphis had the best available information on Green’s recovery from a torn ACL, as he spent the majority of the season rehabbing – he had just made his season debut on February 1, eight days before the trade deadline. I’m sure the Grizzlies valued his locker room presence, but if they didn’t think he could contribute down the stretch, there wasn’t much to be gained by keeping him around, as his contract was set to expire at the end of the season.

Kennard, on the other hand, is only 26 years old, nine years younger than Green. He brings a much-needed skill to the Grizzlies, who rank just 25th in the league in three-point percentage (34.3%).

The lefty sharpshooter out of Duke led the league in three-point shooting last season and has matched that stellar mark (44.9%) in 46 total games in ‘22/23. Kennard is also under team control for multiple seasons – he’ll make $15.42MM in ’23/24 and the Grizzlies will hold a team option for the same salary in ’24/25.

Kennard has shown in the past that he has some play-making chops as well, averaging 4.1 APG back in ‘19/20 with Detroit. Through 11 games (21.0 MPG) with Memphis, he’s averaging 6.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 1.9 APG on .404/.455/1.000 shooting splits (.611 TS%).

The Grizzlies’ roster is full of players in their early-to-mid 20s, with veteran center Steven Adams the elder statesman at 29. Kennard fits perfectly with their timeline as far as that goes, and he’s young enough that he could certainly improve in the coming years.

As previously mentioned, Kennard is not a great individual defender, but he does fine in team concepts and is generally in the right spots. The Grizzlies have a few excellent defensive players on the roster, so perhaps they will be able to mask some of his weaknesses.

This could be viewed as both a short- and long-term upgrade for the Grizzlies, and adding Kennard’s extra salary this season (he makes $14.42MM this season vs. Green’s outgoing $10MM salary) didn’t affect the team much financially, as they’re still well below the luxury tax threshold.

Kennard’s mid-sized contract isn’t onerous given his age and shooting ability. The Grizzlies could conceivably use him as a salary-matching piece in the future as well if they’re so inclined.

Two-to-four second-round picks seemed to be a sweet spot for landing role player upgrades at the deadline. The Grizzlies moved three to land Kennard, but still have all of their own future first-rounders – along with one extra in 2024 – if they want to make a major trade down the line.

It’s interesting that the Clippers agreed to send Kennard to a Western Conference rival, particularly one they might have to face in the postseason. I’m sure he would have a little extra motivation if the Grizzlies are matched up against the Clippers in the playoffs.

Southwest Notes: Irving, Mavs, Kennard, Bassey

February 15th, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was a late addition to Wednesday’s injury report due to low back tightness. He was first listed as questionable, but was downgraded to out a couple hours later (Twitter links).

Wednesday is Dallas’ final game before the All-Star break, as the team won’t play again until February 23. However, Irving was voted to the All-Star team for the eighth time last month — it’s unclear if the back issue will prevent him from suiting up for the exhibition event.

Christian Wood also saw his name pop up on the injury report due to an illness. He was originally considered a game-time decision, but he’ll be active tonight in Denver, the Mavs announced (via Twitter).

Here’s more from the Southwest:

In an appearance on Get Up, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (YouTube link) said he believes “it’s more likely than not” that Irving will re-sign with the Mavericks as a free agent this summer. Wojnarowski points out that Dallas gave up a pretty significant haul to acquire Irving from Brooklyn and the Mavs have a history of paying players that want to play for them.
The Grizzlies traded for Luke Kennard in order to bolster their three-point shooting, but it might be difficult for him to get a significant amount of playing time, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. As Cole notes, replacing Dillon Brooks with Kennard in late-game scenarios would help offensively, but hurt the team’s defense. Kennard played 21 minutes in each of his first two games with Memphis.
Spurs center Charles Bassey recently received a promotion to a standard contract, signing a four-year, $10.2MM deal, including $5.2MM guaranteed. Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link) reports that Bassey’s contract features non-guaranteed salaries in years three and four and he was paid $3MM up front for the 2022/23 season. The 22-year-old called it a “surreal” experience. “I’m not going to lie, it felt good,” Bassey said. “I feel like the Spurs believe in me and believe in what I bring to the team. They trust me, and I just appreciate that.”

Grizzlies Reportedly Offered Four First-Round Picks For Mikal Bridges

February 11th, 2023 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies are the mystery team that was willing to put four future first-round picks in a trade offer for forward Mikal Bridges, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his Lowe Post podcast after Thursday’s trade deadline that he had heard of one team offering four first-rounders to the Nets for Bridges. Brooklyn acquired the 26-year-old forward from the Suns as part of its package for Kevin Durant.

While I have no doubt that Scotto’s and Lowe’s reporting is accurate (ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also said during a TV appearance that Memphis “tried really hard” to get Bridges or Raptors forward OG Anunoby), there’s an important caveat worth mentioning: neither reporter could confirm the protection details of those four first-rounders the Grizzlies put on the table.

Memphis controls all of its own future first-round picks, as well as the Warriors’ 2024 first-rounder (top-four protected). It’s safe to assume the Grizzlies would have offered their own 2023 first-rounder, which currently projects to be just 25th overall. If Memphis also wanted to add protections to a couple other picks in its offer, it’s easier to understand why Brooklyn was comfortable hanging onto Bridges, a talented two-way player who is under contract through 2025/26.

It’s also worth noting that the Grizzlies’ core is still very young, so their first-round picks from 2025-29 could be considered less valuable than future first-rounders from an older team whose stars might not still be playing by the time those later picks convey.

Bridges is averaging career highs in points (17.2), rebounds (4.3), and assists (3.6) per game this season, and is a career .499/.376/.848 shooter who is also a strong, versatile defender. The Suns were reportedly extremely reluctant to include him in their package for Durant, and Scotto reported earlier this week that several teams immediately called the Nets to see if they’d be willing to flip him.

Having missed out on three-and-D wings like Bridges and Anunoby, Memphis instead completed a deadline-day deal for Luke Kennard, who is one of the NBA’s best shooters but isn’t nearly the defender that Bridges or Anunoby is.

Still, as Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, the Grizzlies are excited to add Kennard and his .427 career 3PT% to their rotation. Head coach Taylor Jenkins suggested that the newest member of the Grizzlies could share the court with Desmond Bane, another one of the NBA’s top outside shooters.

“That’s what one of our guys was talking about last night,” Bane said. “Just having another guy that can really shoot and has done it at a high level for a while now. So I’m looking forward to seeing what it looks like.”

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