Memphis Grizzlies: Grading The Jeff Green Trade
By Ti Windisch
The Memphis Grizzlies continue to sell players around the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline, this time moving Jeff Green to the Los Angeles Clippers. What grade do the Grizzlies get for this deal?
When Zach Lowe broke news of the trade between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers, it seemed as though the deal was Lance Stephenson for Jeff Green. That seemed like a trade that works out for both sides.
Clippers have acquired Jeff Green, sources say.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 18, 2016
After all, the Grizzlies 2016 championship hopes officially died when Marc Gasol broke his foot. Getting a player three years younger than Green who the team can opt to bring back for another season in exchange for the 28-year-old wing in the final year of his contract seems like a good idea for Memphis.
The Grizzlies are rebuilding without tearing their team down to the ground, so going for young players makes sense. Although Stephenson didn’t have a huge role with the Clippers, he’s shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three-point territory in his limited minutes.
Stephenson proved in his time with the Indiana Pacers that he has the potential to be a good player, if he fits in well with a team. On the grit and grind Grizzlies, he might be able to return to form.
The trade seemed fairly even for both sides, until we found out that Los Angeles also sent over a lottery-protected 2019 first round pick in the deal, as per Dan Woike.
The 2019 1st round pick MEM receives is lottery protected.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 18, 2016
Looking at the per game numbers from both Stephenson and Green this season makes the first-round pick the Clippers threw in seem odd.
| Player | Age | G | MP | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Green | 29 | 53 | 29.1 | 10.5 | .431 | 2.6 | .309 | 2.9 | .800 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 12.2 |
| Lance Stephenson | 25 | 43 | 15.8 | 3.9 | .494 | 1.1 | .404 | 0.7 | .700 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 4.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/18/2016.
Just because Clippers head coach/GM Doc Rivers failed to use Stephenson often didn’t mean his numbers were bad. In fact, Lance had been more efficient in his limited time with the Clippers than Green has been in Memphis.
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Green’s 31 percent from three-point territory is hardly overwhelming. Although adding bench depth will certainly help in Blake Griffin‘s absence, is Jeff Green going to push the Clippers to a higher tier?
The Grizzlies tried to do the same tier jumping by adding Green last season, and failed to make much of a splash in the postseason. Part of the problem for Memphis was Green shooting 33 percent from the field and 22 percent from beyond the arc in his 11 playoff games with the Grizzlies.
Memphis knows Green isn’t going to move the needle much, but apparently Los Angeles does not. Getting a misused Lance Stephenson for Green was a pretty good deal–getting a future first round pick as well feels almost like highway robbery.
Related Story: 2016 NBA Trade Deadline Live Tracker
Memphis had no reason to keep Jeff Green around, considering he likely would’ve left in free agency this summer anyway, and the Grizzlies don’t have the talent to make a real postseason run without Gasol. Flipping him for a younger player and a draft pick was an ideal move, and another win for the Grizzlies this deadline.