It’s crazy to think the NBA Finals aren’t even decided yet, and we already have trade rumors and speculation running rampant, while one blockbuster trade has already been completed. The ripple effects of Sunday’s massive deal, which saw Desmond Bane sent to the Magic with a package including four unprotected first-round picks heading back to the Grizzlies, will be felt for years to come, but they’ll also have a major impact on this summer.
One of the biggest questions to come from the trade is what will Memphis do next? They offloaded one of their best players, but still have Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. in their primes. They may look to use some of their newly acquired assets to build the roster back up, or they may canvas the market for Morant and JJJ trades to start a full rebuild.
Suddenly, all kinds of new possibilities are in play for the Grizzlies, a team that many thought would be one of the quieter ones this offseason. If they do look to stay competitive, they’ll certainly need shooting on the wing to replace Bane, and one way they could achieve that is by trading for Michael Porter Jr.
Grizzlies could trade KCP back to Denver
On the latest episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, he proposed that very idea to Ryen Russillo, wondering if the Grizzlies may buy into a 26-year-old MPJ. He would be the best small forward they’ve had in years, he’d be a fairly seamless fit into Bane’s role on offense, and while he has his obvious shortcomings, they could add him for a fraction of the price they just got for Bane.
Simmons suggested the Grizzlies could flip Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who they just acquired in the Bane deal, and Brandon Clarke to the Nuggets in exchange for Porter Jr. The Grizzlies would essentially have swapped Bane and Clarke for MPJ, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a swap. All in all, that’s not bad business, and the team may not even be any worse next season.
This would be a hilarious move for the Nuggets, as they’d get a bit of a mulligan on letting KCP walk, but taking on the contract they balked at a year ago. The catch is they’d arguably be getting off an even worse contract in MPJ, and adding a very solid and versatile, albeit injured, backup big man in Clarke.
It’s a fascinating hypothetical, one that will likely never play out, but is now on the table. In theory, this is exactly the kind of deal Denver needs, turning MPJ into multiple role players. The KCP contract isn’t ideal, nor was his play last year, but being back in Denver, playing alongside Nikola Jokic again may have him looking young and spry in no time.
Clarke would also be an excellent addition, one who could give the Nuggets minutes at backup center, or play next to Jokic or any other big. He could allow them to play big, small, or even jumbo with Aaron Gordon at the three if they really wanted. He’s a good defender and a guy who even offers some floor spacing. This deal may seem crazy on the surface for a bunch of reasons, but it makes a lot of sense for both sides.