Memphis Grizzlies Player Proposed as Boston Celtics Trade Target

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The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching, and the Memphis Grizzlies are one of the many teams to keep an eye on. While Memphis is a playoff team when healthy, a season-ending injury to Ja Morant, along with several other injuries to top players, have them well out of the Western Conference race.
This has led many to believe that Memphis could use this year's deadline to re-tool for next season when Morant and others are back in the lineup. In a recent article from Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, five top trade targets were listed for each team, and Memphis Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman was named as a good option for the Boston Celtics.
While this is analysis from Favale as opposed to sourced reporting on Boston's interest in Tillman, there are some reasons to believe he could be on the move. Set to hit free agency after this season, Tillman may not be someone the Grizzlies want to commit to longterm.
If Memphis decides they do not see themselves re-signing Tillman, sending him to a contender for even a limited return could help them get back useful assets. This is an important deadline for Memphis, as a lot of decisions will need to be made with an eye for next season, which is when they hope to contend again.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.