Memphis Grizzlies Trade Idea Pairs Ja Morant With $55M NBA Veteran

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The Memphis Grizzlies’ poor injury luck from last season has continued into the offseason. In two separate announcements, the Grizzlies revealed that both GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. suffered injuries while training during the offseason.
The Grizzlies announced on September 4 that Jackson underwent successful surgery to repair a foot injury, and will be reevaluated in approximately three months. In a separate announcement on Friday, the Grizzlies revealed that Williams suffered a stress reaction in his left tibia, and will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.
These injuries leave the Grizzlies without two key wings that project to be in their rotation when healthy.

Amid this injury news, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed a hypothetical trade idea that gives Memphis some additional forward depth by adding Brooklyn Nets veteran Dorian Finney-Smith.
Via Favale: “Coming up with the money to match DFS's money ($14.9 million) won't be an issue, either. Spacing gets dicey if Luke Kennard's expiring deal has to be included (after Dec. 14), but the Grizzlies have a smattering of sub-mid-level-exception contracts they can aggregate.”
DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH DAGGER pic.twitter.com/hK0TTuMlHq
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 27, 2023
Finney-Smith appeared in 68 games (56 starts) for Brooklyn last season, averaging 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per contest. The eight-year NBA veteran would give Memphis some forward depth that has been recently hit by injuries.
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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.