Prior to acquiring veteran point guard Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics in a three-team trade ahead of the 2023 NBA draft, the Memphis Grizzlies reportedly had their eyes set on another defensive specialist.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Grizzlies had substantial interest in Golden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green, who is set to be a free agent this summer.
"I'm told that the Grizzlies' pre-Smart interest in Green was genuine," Stein wrote. "And it's fascinating to simply consider the idea of Green engaging Memphis in free agency conversations after the teams' past battles.