Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman had to choose an approach. Either the Grizzlies were going to push in the chips to “significantly impact” their title chances this season, or they had to decide if they wanted to maintain flexibility since a lot of the cap space is “drying up” around the NBA.
The Grizzlies looked at opportunities to go all in. After those chances were explored, Kleiman determined that their were better options.
“Rather than sit here and try to do something that might win a press conference, the focus from there was how do we best try to position ourselves to keep this team and roll forward with the guys that we really believe in and want to have the opportunities going forward with a deep roster,” Kleiman said.
Memphis instead focused on creating flexibility by trading Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia while acquiring draft compensation, Marvin Bagley and Johnny Davis.
Kleiman spoke on Friday afternoon after the Grizzlies practiced and provided insight into the decisions made at the deadline. Here are five observations.
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Grizzlies went star hunting
Well, it wasn’t for a lack of effort. Kleiman said the Grizzlies pursued the so-called star players. Of the players the Grizzlies went after, none of them were moved, Kleiman said.
Rumors of Memphis having Jimmy Butler interest spiked over the past month, but Kleiman said he was “not sure” why the Grizzlies were a rumored destination.
On Thursday afternoon, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant’s name also surfaced as a potential target. ESPN analyst Bob Myers said that Durant told the Grizzlies “no,” which led to the broader idea of whether star players on opposing teams view Memphis as a desirable destination.
“I think there are misconceptions about Memphis,” Kleiman said.” I think we have a group of guys in Ja, Des and Jaren that star players would love to play with.”
“For a star player who at the end of the day wants to win at the highest level, I’d put us up against anyone to be able to do that,” he said later.
Why Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia were traded
When the Grizzlies acquired Smart, there was a need for a strong perimeter defender and another playmaker after the losses of Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones. Since that deal in the summer of 2023, the Grizzlies believe Vince Williams Jr., Jaylen Wells and Scotty Pippen Jr. have emerged as players who can fill those roles.
“We now have multiple guys who are going to be with us who are under team control for a while from here that we have a lot of confidence giving those reps going forward,” Kleiman said.
Memphis attached a first-round pick to the trade that resulted in Smart going to Washington. Smart was viewed as a piece who could help Memphis win a championship when he was acquired, but his value changed on the floor.
Off the floor, the Grizzlies believe Smart played a significant role in the growth of his teammates.
“We made a move that so far to date, hadn’t worked,” Kleiman said. “I’d much rather own that myself. That starts with me. You cut your losses on a move, and we put ourselves in best position to build the team going forward.”
As for LaRavia, it was much of the same. He had a lot of positional overlap with Wells, Williams and GG Jackson.
Kleiman called LaRavia a “sneaky good” acquisition for the Kings. Memphis was in a tough spot after playing an 11-man rotation on Wednesday that didn’t include Desmond Bane or LaRavia.
“You can’t have too many guys at the same position competing for the same opportunity,” Kleiman said. “I don’t think we put Jake in the best spot early on where he had much of a pathway to play.”
“Some of this was trying to consolidate at some level, because we can’t play everybody,” he said.
Championship window is open
Maybe the Grizzlies didn’t bring in the flashy star player who would have won the press conference that Kleiman mentioned, but there is still optimism that Memphis can reach its championship goals.
Kleiman said that Jaren Jackson Jr. is playing at a top-five player in the NBA level right now, and he also spoke highly of Ja Morant. Along with Bane, he believes that core puts Memphis in the hunt.
“We’re taking seriously what this group can achieve right here and right now,” Kleiman said. “I think the competitive window with Ja, Des and Jaren entering the heart of their careers is here, and there’s a lot of belief in what we have on the court. We firmly believe we’re in the mix.”
Future of Marvin Bagley and Johnny Davis
Kleiman said that Bagley is on his way to Memphis now, meaning that he’ll likely stick around with the Grizzlies. As for Davis, Kleiman said his future is “TBD.”
If Memphis keeps Davis, he will occupy the 15th and final roster spot. If Davis is waived, the Grizzlies could pursue a player via the buyout market or free agency.
After the trade deadline, the buyout market becomes arguably the best way teams can acquire talent this season. Some players are usually waived and bought out in the days following the trade deadline, freeing them to sign elsewhere.
Summer flexibility
Kleiman was sure to note that “everything is on the table” with the Grizzlies going forward from a flexibility standpoint.
The Grizzlies believe they have the ability after the trade deadline to go after anyone who they feel can put the team over the top heading into next season.
“This was a bird-in-hand at a relatively low cost to create a lot of flexibility this offseason with a lot of guys in mind internal and external.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
