The Phoenix Suns looked like a team dead in the water from late December to early January; their offense was sputtering, and their supporting cast was not able to weather the lengthy injury absence of Devin Booker. But the Suns put their foot down on Thursday midnight ET, and pulled off one of the biggest trades in NBA history by acquiring Kevin Durant for a package headlined by Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and four first-round picks.
Now, the Suns look like bonafide contenders, health permitting. The Big Three of Durant, Booker, and Chris Paul might be the best midrange shooting trio of all time. It will be quite the conundrum for teams as they try to figure out how to defend those three, whose skillsets include being able to get up a quality shot every possession down.
Thus, Western Conference playoff contenders should be on high alert – especially the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that has won only two of its past 10 games.
The Grizzlies could very well enter the postseason content with their current core and be confident in their chances to make a deep playoff run. Their defense ranks second in the entire association, only behind the Cleveland Cavaliers. That is, of course, thanks in large part to Jaren Jackson Jr.'s elite rim protection.
But when going up against the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul, the Grizzlies will need more than Dillon Brooks or even Danny Green to anchor the perimeter on defense.
Enter OG Anunoby.
With the trade deadline being mere hours away, here is why the Grizzlies should pull off a last-second trade for the Toronto Raptors' 3 and D forward.
Why Grizzlies should trade for OG Anunoby
On the surface, prospective suitors for the 25-year old small forward might be put off by the Raptors' exorbitant asking price. After all, it's not too easy to stomach trading away three first-round picks as it is. And to do so for someone whose offensive skillset isn't the best and someone who has routinely missed time due to injury woes? That is an even tougher move to justify.
But as the Suns showed, teams with championship aspirations take risks. The Suns know that their 2027 and 2029 first-rounders could very well turn out to be high draft picks, especially as their current core ages. (It is worth mentioning that Kevin Durant is already 34 years old and is coming off yet another major knee injury.) But contending windows rarely last. Just ask Durant himself, who has experienced firsthand during his stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets that talent does not guarantee championships.
Of course, teams' appetite for risk differs immensely between acquiring Durant and OG Anunoby. The former is the 2014 league MVP, a two-time Finals MVP, a 13-time All-Star, and a six-time All-NBA first-team selection, while the latter couldn't even come close to comparing.
Even then, Anunoby's player archetype stands as one of the most valuable in the league. His defensive versatility, ability to space the floor, and heady cutting ability should make him an invaluable member of any team with championship aspirations.
His defense alone, however, should make him an enticing trade target for the Grizzlies. Standing at 6'7 with an incredible 7'2.25 wingspan, Anunoby has the perfect blend of lateral quickness, defensive instincts, agility, foot speed, and disruptiveness to make the life of even the most gifted scorer a living nightmare.
Plus, Dillon Brooks, for all of his contributions towards crystallizing the Grizzlies' identity, has struggled as of late. It has even gotten to the point where Grizzlies fans felt like booing him was justified. And even as annoying as he could be on defense, he pales in comparison to OG Anunoby's overall impact on that end of the floor.
It'll also be a bonus that Anunoby's shot selection won't be a cause for headache, like Brooks' can be. Brooks really loves his contested midrange pull-ups, so perhaps, he could flourish in a bench role where he won't take too many shots away from the likes of Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.
The Grizzlies should also have the necessary assets to pique the Raptors' interest in a potential trade. They own all of their future first-round draft picks (and the Golden State Warriors' 2024 first-rounder to boot). Moreover, they have a bit of a logjam at the wing positions, with Danny Green, John Konchar, Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia competing for minutes behind Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks.
Memphis might not be willing to pay the Raptors' asking price of three first-rounders, but if they decide to relinquish OG Anunoby for a package consisting of two unprotected first-round picks, one of the Grizzlies' young wings (perhaps Williams, Roddy, or LaRavia), and salary filler, then the Grizzlies would do very well in adding one of the league's most elite defenders to one of the league's best defenses.
Follow Us
Subscribe