Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are finally on the trading block. Here’s the perfect three-team deal that moves them both.
Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Memphis Grizzlies are finally open to dealing Mike Conley and Marc Gasol on Tuesday. As such, the perfect three-team deal that moved both of them had to be constructed on the ESPN Trade Machine. Without further ado, here it is.
Memphis receives: Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, Stanley Johnson, Dennis Smith Jr., 2023 Miami second round pick (from Dallas)
Dallas receives: Marc Gasol, Reggie Bullock, Omri Casspi
Detroit receives: Mike Conley, DeAndre Jordan
Why Memphis does it: the Grizzlies are already 14th in the Western Conference, and the tank is basically on now. Memphis gets three young players in Drummond, Johnson and Smith Jr., plus a second rounder to help the rebuild.
Memphis can use Jackson’s contract as an expiring to add more draft picks or other things at the cost of taking on other bad contracts next season, and gets a look at three young prospects in the meantime. The return isn’t spectacular, but the Grizzlies do get younger and save a bit of money in the short term.
Why Dallas does it: the Mavericks might want to tank considering they’re 13th in the West themselves, but the upside of a Gasol-Luka Doncic pairing might be tantalizing enough for Dallas to try and compete.
Reggie Bullock is a good piece too, especially considering the Mavs will need another guard to pair with Doncic after moving Smith Jr. Jordan is an expiring contract and not one who has dazzled in Dallas, and Smith Jr. has been dissatisfied with his role.
Why Detroit does it: the Pistons’ case for making this deal is the easiest, which is why it’s up last. Detroit is in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt right now, and this deal makes the Pistons better, straight up.
Jackson just isn’t good, so inserting Conley in for him is an obvious upgrade. Drummond has taken a step back next to Blake Griffin, and who knows better how to play with Blake than DeAndre Jordan? Stanley Johnson is uninspiring, and losing Bullock is the cost for adding two good players at the expense of other uninspiring ones.
Is this fake trade perfect? No. It might be if the Mavericks were a few games better, but alas Dallas has been dropping some winnable games lately. Still, a test run of Doncic and Gasol might be worth the cost of giving up on Jordan and Smith Jr.
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