What looked like another lost season for the Memphis Grizzlies has suddenly taken on new meaning. Memphis has been treading water since the trade deadline and thus aiming to convey their 2019 first-rounder in the NBA Draft, which is owed to the Boston Celtics.
The rationale behind this move is simple: shed the obligation to the Celtics while Memphis still has Mike Conley‘s services. Then the Grizzlies can deal him in the near future, bottom out and be really bad, without fear of giving Boston a more valuable pick.
Their 2019 pick is top-8 protected, putting Memphis in a dogfight to finish with the league’s ninth-worst, or better, record – and thus the best odds to convey.