The Memphis Grizzlies had a rough trip out west this past weekend. Back to back losses to the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors due to turnovers and poor perimeter defense...it was ugly. If only there was something to distract us from these bad performances...
Wait - Jimmy Butler being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies was at one point a betting favorite? That’ll do nicely.
Yes, that Jimmy Butler - Jimmy Buckets himself. The guy who has had issues with numerous NBA franchises and is on the way out of Miami. The guy who helped get the Heat to the NBA Finals in the Bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guy who still is elite at getting to the free throw line and scoring off of cutting and dribble penetration/finishing at the rim. Who defends without fouling. Who has the ability to add real winning value to any team if he is bought in...
Key word there, of course, being “if”.
Teams like Golden State and Phoenix perhaps make more sense for Butler. After all, their cores are aging and the urgency of now is much more intense for the Warriors and Suns. But that’s what makes this so interesting for Memphis...they almost certainly would not need to part with a key roster piece long-term.
The contracts on the Grizzlies roster that make money work for a trade aren’t longed for this Memphis world. Marcus Smart ($20-ish million) is a competitor but he simply hasn’t been able to stay on the floor. Luke Kennard ($9-ish million) and John Konchar ($6-ish million) were almost traded for Dorian Finney Smith.
Those three get you to $35 million. But Butler makes a whopping $48 million this year. And if he opts in to his player option, that kicks up to roughly $52 million next season.
That should not be a deal breaker. If Butler opts out? It actually has the potential to free up money for Memphis to operate and re-sign Jaren Jackson Jr. If he opts in? It provides an 18-month window where a starting five of Ja Morant/Desmond Bane/Jimmy Butler/Jaren Jackson Jr./Zach Edey, with a reserve group of Scotty Pippen Jr./Vince Williams Jr./Jaylen Wells/GG Jackson/Brandon Clarke locked in under contract.
But there’s the rub. Brandon Clarke makes $12.5 million. He likely is a key rotation player or even a starter for the Heat alongside Smart and allows for Miami to stay a competitive roster. Miami almost certainly wants Clarke.
If I am the Grizzlies GM, they cannot have him.
Clarke is a key cog of this generation of Grizzlies basketball. He helps bring the best out of Jaren Jackson Jr. He is Zach Edey insurance. He’s cost controlled and one of the league’s best reserve bigs.
Santi Aldama and Jake LaRavia likely won’t be in Memphis much longer due to their lack of contract action this past Summer. Get a 3rd team involved and move on from them if you must.
Brandon Clarke must stay in Memphis for a Jimmy Butler trade to work for me. And that likely makes a deal dead.
Oh well. On to the next rumor.
