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The NBA trade deadline is nearing and the teams have been in a hurry to make decisions before Feb. 8. One of the players who is being mentioned in the trade is the Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Marcus Smart. The Grizzlies acquired Smart from the Boston Celtics in a trade in June 2023.
Teams such as LA Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly expressed their interest in acquiring Smart and have also tried to contact the Grizzlies front office. However, reports say that the Grizzlies have declined any kind of incoming offer for their guard.
Perhaps Grizzlies’ season is already over and they would want to restart next season when their players return to the roster healthy. However, Smart is a valuable asset in the trade market and the Grizzlies can still trade him for a few good bench player to keep their season going.
Here are three reasons why the Grizzlies should trade and two reasons why they shouldn’t.
NBA Trade Deadline: 3 reasons why the Grizzlies should trade Marcus Smart
#1 Grizzlies can collect multiple draft picks
Some of the teams in the league, particularly the Lakers and the Bucks are just a player or two away from being a championship-caliber team in their respective conferences. The LA Lakers do have three second-round picks from the 2024 and 2025 NBA Draft.
Moreover, they have already brought in multiple draft picks in the next two NBA Drafts when they traded Steven Adams to the Houston Rockets. As the NBA trade deadline looms, the Grizzlies might just be enticed by the prospect of picks.
#2 Grizzlies are not going anywhere this season
Even before the season started, Ja Morant was out from the Grizzlies’ first 25 games this season. However, once he made the return, Ja only played nine games before he suffered from a season-ending injury. The Grizzlies' second-best player Desmond Bane has also faced an injury that will keep him out for at least six weeks.
After 48 games this season, the Grizzlies are in the 13th spot in the Western Conference only ahead of San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers. They have lost 30 of their 48 games and have very little chance to make it to the playoffs. Smart is not getting younger and maybe they could trade him to bring in fresh legs for the next season.
#3 Grizzlies can bring in good bench players
Grizzlies have two of their starters injured, however, that is not their only problem. They are ranked 19th in the league in the 2023-24 season in the bench scoring points. They would not want to continue with a poor-scoring bench next season.
Several championship-caliber teams would be too quick to make a trade before the NBA trade deadline to get a better shot at the championship. The Grizzlies can capitalize on putting Smart on the trade block and acquire a few good role players for the next season.
NBA Trade Deadline: 2 reasons why Grizzlies shouldn’t trade Marcus Smart
#1 A healthy Grizzlies next season has a high ceiling
Even though the Memphis Grizzlies might not have many things to look forward to this season, their fate might change next season. The Grizzlies already have the league’s superstar-caliber player in Ja Morant with a perfect co-star in Desmond Bane. Next season, when they return healthy, things might take a turn, and for all the good reasons.
Now that they have traded for Victor Oladipo, the Grizzlies have another scoring player on their roster, depending on if he plays next season. Smart is not just a great defensive player he is also an excellent offensive player. He is notching career-high numbers with the Grizzlies this season and they can really benefit from him.
#2 Grizzlies can have top defense in the league next season
Marcus Smart’s defense is the biggest reason that they should never trade him. While there are other players who can bring the defensive intensity of Smart on the floor, but Smart is a defensive savant and knows how to perform and teach the defense to others.
The Grizzlies can use him to anchor their perimeter defense next season and Smart is a master at that. They also have a former Defensive Player of The Year on their roster in Jaren Jackson Jr. who is also a two-time blocks leader at just 24 years of age. Smart and Jackson Jr. have the true potential to make the Grizzlies the top defensive team in the league next season.
