Grizzlies Shake-Up: 3 Surprising Trade Candidates for the 2025-26 Season
The Memphis Grizzlies are on the rise, but will they hold onto all their key players? Here are 3 unexpected trade candidates who could be on the move in the 2025-26 season:
1. Jaren Jackson Jr.
– Talented Big Man: JJ’s impressive skills on the court make him a valuable asset to any team.
-Trade Value: With his young age and potential, JJ could be a coveted piece on the trade market.
2. Desmond Bane
– Sharpshooting Guard: Bane’s ability to score from beyond the arc makes him a desirable trade target.
– Contract Considerations: Depending on his contract situation, Bane could be a prime candidate for a trade.
3. Marcus Smart
– Defensive Specialist: Smart’s tenacious defense and veteran presence could make him an attractive trade target for contending teams.
– *Team Fit*: Depending on the Grizzlies’ plans, Smart’s skills might be a better fit for another team.
Grizzlies’ Future
The Memphis Grizzlies have a promising future ahead, but will they make some unexpected moves to shape their roster? Stay tuned for more updates on these potential trade candidates!
In an unusual position, the Memphis Grizzlies are attempting to retool on the fly as they enter the 2025-26 NBA season.
They are not completely contending, nor are they rebuilding. The blockbuster summer trade that resulted in the departure of Desmond Bane was not the beginning of a teardown; rather, it was a strategic decision to restructure the roster around Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and a rotating ensemble of role players who can maintain the team’s competitiveness in the Western Conference.
But someone always gets squeezed out when depth is added without room being cleared.
Now the Grizzlies must deal with a loaded rotation, players with similar skill sets, and the impending financial hardship that will occur when contract extensions for key players are due.
Some players are more valuable as a means of exchange than as investments in the current atmosphere.
If you want to know why three players—John Konchar, Brandon Clarke, and Vince Williams Jr.—could be traded before the season ends, this is the place for you.
Brandon Clarke: Once a core big, now a trade asset
When Brandon Clarke broke into the league in 2019, he was the very definition of a high-value role player.
Explosive athleticism, elite finishing around the rim, switchable defense, he was exactly the type of modern big that Memphis needed alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas at the time.
But a series of injuries has eroded that early promise. Clarke lost significant time in 2023 to an Achilles tear, and in 2024-25, he was limited again by a PCL injury.
The effect was obvious: his per-game numbers dipped to single digits in scoring and rebounding, and his defensive mobility was noticeably compromised
Fit is the issue, not output alone. Since Clarke has never been able to reliably shoot from beyond the arc, the offence of Memphis has shifted to rely more on floor spacing to provide Morant space to attack. With Jackson, Santi Aldama, and a few hybrid forwards already in the starting lineup, Clarke’s abilities are redundant with those of younger, less expensive players. The $12 million plus salary that Clarke receives is valuable from a trade perspective.
To strengthen their bench, the Grizzlies might trade him for a shooting guard or a wing with defensive skills. Clarke might be a buy-low target for contending teams like the Boston Celtics or the Golden State Warriors who are seeking bench depth in the frontcourt.
If Memphis stays healthy and competitive, Clarke’s contract and experience make him one of the most logical outgoing pieces in any deal designed to push the Grizzlies back into the playoff mix.
Vince Williams Jr.: Young wing with limited opportunity
At 6’6” with a 6’10” wingspan, Vince Williams Jr. has the physical tools that NBA teams covet in a modern wing.
He plays hard defensively, rebounds well for his position, and can function as a secondary playmaker. In 2024-25, he only averaged single figures in scoring while also contributing on the glass and as a passer, an encouraging leap for a player taken late in the 2022 draft.
What is the challenge? Caldwell-Pope, GG Jackson, Scotty Pippen Jr., and a slew of other Memphis swingmen are all battling for minutes at his position. Williams may still not get much playing time in the rotation, regardless of how good he performs.
Unlike Clarke, Williams is on an affordable contract and still in his mid-20s, making him an attractive trade target for teams in the early stages of building a competitive roster.
A franchise like the Utah Jazz or Orlando Magic could see him as a rotation-ready wing who still has upside to tap into.
If the Grizzlies decide to target a more established offensive option during the season, Williams could be included in a package as a sweetener, especially appealing to teams that want young players rather than just salary filler.
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