NBA exec on Grizzlies: The Marcus Smart trade killed them

The Grizzlies have tried to take huge swings within the commerce market at numerous instances within the final three years, together with participating the Phoenix Suns on Kevin Durant this 12 months. Nevertheless, the most important one that truly bought accomplished was dealing Tyus Jones and two first-rounders for Marcus Good when he was simply previous his sell-by date in the summertime of 2023. It’s considerably ironic provided that the Grizzlies have nailed so many small strikes in the identical interval. “The Marcus Smart trade killed them,” as one rival exec put it, costing them draft assets and a $20-million salary slot for a whole lot of not much. On a roster that couldn’t afford a miss once Jackson, Bane and Morant graduated to expensive veteran deals, Smart was nearly dead money. He was neither healthy nor happy in Memphis, and his level of play dropped off even when he was active; the Grizzlies ended up giving Washington another first just to move off the last year of his deal.
Supply: New York Times