The trade deadline came down to the wire for Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart and general manager, Zach Kleiman. After the Grizzlies traded Smart in a 3-team deal, reactions poured in. Many of which were fired at Memphis, roasting them for the trade.

Although no one understood the move, Kleiman certainly did. He explained more via the Daily Memphian about the decision to move the veteran guard.

“Rather than do something to try and win a press conference, the focus (became) different,” Kleiman said. “It was like, ‘How do we best position ourselves to keep this team and roll forward with the guys that we believe in?’

“And, ‘How do we put ourselves in a position this offseason and beyond where we can retain and add to the roster in a way where everything is on the table with a lot of flexibility?’

Kleiman is referring to the salary cap, a figure that some teams disregard. Even with the new rules put in by the NBA for the first and second tax aprons, teams flirt with that area. For the Grizzlies, they want to remain competitive but have that flexibility. Teams like the Phoenix Suns can't make many moves because of the tax apron.

As a result, teams like the Grizzlies can swoop in and sign a marquee free agent, without any competition from opposing teams.

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The Grizzles, Marcus Smart deal was a salary move

Dumping Smart might not have been the smartest basketball move, but it was a nice salary move. After all, Bob Myers accidentally leaked that the Grizzlies were trying to trade for Kevin Durant. For that to have happened, they would've needed to take on his salary.

The 35-16 Grizzlies have a compelling case for a marquee-free agent to sign there. They are missing that premier No. 1 scorer. While Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been exceptional, adding a top-tier veteran could be the deciding factor.

Either way, Memphis will continue to try and keep the winning a constant. They trail only 6 games to the Oklahoma City Thunder. With a Top 5 scoring offense, the Grizzlies have proven that they can keep up with the league's best. The 123.8 points per game is an exceptional mark and one that many didn't see coming. Adding another star could even increase that number.

Although they lost Smart, they might've gotten a little smarter with their cap flexibility for the upcoming offseason.