The Memphis Grizzlies have the picks and trade flexibility to make a major move. Darius Garland, Jalen Suggs and Trey Murphy III could fit with Cameron Boozer.
An NBA executive has pegged the Memphis Grizzlies as the next team that could make a blockbuster trade. Any star they target needs to complement Cameron Boozer.
Perhaps this conversation is premature. The Grizzlies need to let the beginning of 2026-27 play out. Making a blockbuster deal for a star player before they know how this roster is performing would be hasty.
That said, we can always look ahead.
Suppose the Grizzlies are surprisingly competitive this year. They've got a $28.87 million trade exception that expires in February and an excess of future first-round picks. An NBA executive recently pointed to Memphis as a team to watch on the trade market.
The Grizzlies could shock the world by trading for a star as this year's deadline approaches.
Here are three stars who could elevate Boozer's game.
Darius Garland, Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are in a difficult position after the Kawhi Leonard fiasco. They've been stripped of their next five future first-round picks.
If anything, they'd benefit from recouping some first-round draft capital. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are likely to look at point guards first if they're making a major acquisition.
So, this feels like a perfect marriage.
Moreover, Garland is highly complementary to Boozer. As a career 38.9% 3-point shooter, he doesn't need the ball to be effective, but he can run the offense.
That said, if there's a reason to avoid him, it's his defense. Garland is below average on that end of the floor, and the Grizzlies may be trying to establish a defense-first identity.
If so, perhaps they'd prefer another point guard.
Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
Suggs essentially has the opposite problem.
He's one of the best guard defenders in the NBA, but he may be a suspect offensive fit for Boozer.
Suggs is a career 33.1% 3-point shooter. He doesn't compensate for that mediocre mark with high-end scoring efficiency, as his career 54.1% True Shooting percentage also leaves something to be desired.
He is not generally a strong scorer.
However, at 25, he still has room to improve. If Suggs had good chemistry with Boozer, playing off a high-level creator could help his shooting.
If Memphis is willing to take a risk on Suggs' development, he could be a strong fit.
Otherwise, they may need to turn somewhere else.
Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
Who says it has to be a point guard?
Yes, the Grizzlies have a positional vacuum there. That doesn't mean it's a functional need.
If Boozer can handle enough of the playmaking load, the Grizzlies could surround him with quality wings and big men and use him as a point forward.
Murphy could be the perfect fit.
He's a career 38.2% 3-point shooter on 6.7 attempts per game. He and Cedric Coward would give Memphis surplus shot creation around a playmaking four.
Plus, Murphy has been in trade conversations for a long time. In the same executive survey that identified Memphis as a team to watch, an Eastern Conference executive named Murphy as the player likely to draw the most trade calls this season.
If New Orleans finally decides to move him, Memphis should be on the phone.
