Memphis Grizzlies could be entering a rebuild following the Desmond Bane trade, but the spotlight now shifts to the futures of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., both of whom are eligible for contract extensions.
The Memphis Grizzlies made the biggest trade of the summer so far, sending one of their core pieces, Desmond Bane, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and four first-round picks.
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Now, with a trade involving one of their star players, the Grizzlies’ future is under scrutiny, as they may consider entering full rebuild mode by potentially trading away Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. next.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN says this move looks like a rebuild trade, and the main question now is: what’s the next step for the Grizzlies and their star duo of Morant and Jackson Jr.?
"What does this mean for the Grizzlies? That’s what people around the league are now asking, because this looks like a rebuild trade," Windhorst said on ESPN's SportsCenter.
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"While Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has proven to be a key piece on two championship teams, last season didn’t look like that. Now he’s older and on a big contract. So this is a trade where the Grizzlies are pivoting a little bit."
"It’s not a crazy move when you look at the Western Conference and how tough it is to compete. When Memphis evaluates its situation, it might be time for a bit of a pivot," he said.
"Almost no one in the West is rebuilding right now — everyone has the pedal to the metal, including the Jazz, who are trying to ramp things up. So the big question is: what’s next for Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.?"
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"The whole league is now going to be investigating what this trade means for the Grizzlies," Windhorst noted.
Windhorst also added that both stars are extension-eligible this summer, but for now, there’s no word on what Memphis plans to do with them.
The Grizzlies finished the season as the 8th seed in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record. They secured a playoff spot through the Play-In Tournament but were swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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