Grizzlies not interested
If team looks to make a trade before March 25 deadline, it won’t be for Blake Griffin or Demarcus Cousins.
When the Grizzlies faced the Detroit Pistons last week, a familiar face was missing on the Pistons sidelines. Blake Griffin.
Griffin has been out of the Pistons lineup for a week as the team decides whether to buy him out or trade him. It makes sense given his age (31), injury history, declining skills and that mammoth contract ($75.6 million due over the next two seasons).
Grizzlies fans will remember Griffin fondly for his frequent tussles with Zach Randolph. But those highflying and fighting days are gone as Griffin's averaging a career-low in points and has zero dunks this season.
Safe to say the Grizzlies won't throw a passing glance at him. Nor will the Grizzlies be in the running for Demarcus Cousins, who is expected to part ways with the Houston Rockets, according to The Athletic.
Injuries, too, have made Cousins a shell of his former All-star self.
When he faced the Grizzlies this month, he had five points, six rebounds and four fouls in an unremarkable 16 minutes.
Both Griffin and Cousins have been phased out by teams looking toward younger rosters. Given the Grizzlies are all in on their youth movement, neither are a good fit.
It also why if the team does seek a trade between now and the Mar. 25 trade deadline, it will likely involve Gorgui Dieng, whose contract expires after this season.
Dieng, who is making $17.3 million this season, has six DNP-CDS and has fallen out of the rotation with the team looking more at Xavier Tillman. Despite being productive when he plays, it's clear the team is only using Dieng as needed which will be more evident now with Justise Winslow back.
As for defense? The Grizzlies' defensive rating with Tillman on the court (110.0) is almost similar to Dieng (110.3). When Jaren Jackson Jr. returns, Dieng's 3-point shooting will be replaced by a better, high-volume version.
The problem is determining his trade value because of that contract. The Grizzlies could try to swing him for a second round pick or a package involving other players.
As for assets, the Grizzlies could have two first round picks this summer but one of them is a protected pick from the Utah Jazz outside of the No. 8-14 spots. With the Jazz owning the NBA'S best record, that pick will likely transfer to the Grizzlies in 2022 where it's only topsix protected.
Dieng has been productive and a good veteran presence in a young locker room. But that and his expiring deal make him most the obvious trade bait if the team so chooses.
It's the same reason why Blake Griffin and Demarcus Cousins won't get any attention in Memphis unless Grizzlies fans want to dig up old clips of Griffin vs. Randolph for old-times sake.