Brian Windhorst drops Grizzlies ‘rebuild' truth bomb on Desmond Bane trade
The post Brian Windhorst drops Grizzlies 'rebuild' truth bomb on Desmond Bane trade appeared first on ClutchPoints.
In what was shocking news on a Sunday morning, the Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in what has many debating the direction of the team. While some have said the Grizzlies should blow it all up and rebuild, one who echoed the same sentiments was ESPN's NBA insider Brian Windhorst.
Advertisement
Trading Bane to Orlando, Memphis got back in return Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks, and one first-round pick swap. When Windhorst gave his initial reactions to the news, he would say on 'SportsCenter' that the deal is a 'rebuild trade.'
'What does this mean for the Grizzlies? This is now what is being asked in the league, because this is a rebuild trade,' Windhorst said. 'While Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has proven to be a key piece of a championship contender twice in his career, last season did not look like that, and he has gotten older and has a big contract.'
'So this is a trade where the Grizzlies are pivoting a little bit, and it's not an insane thing,' Windhorst continued. 'Because if you look at the Western Conference, and you look at how tough it is to compete, and you look at what Memphis thinks about their hand, it may be the time to do a little bit of a pivot. There's not almost anybody in the Western Conference who is really rebuilding right now; everyone's kind of got the gas put down.'
Brian Windhorst on Grizzlies' future with Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr.
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
After the Bane trade, many are wondering what the Grizzlies will do with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., since the deal could signal a rebuilding process. Windhorst would ponder the same quarry as he mentioned how both Morant and Jackson are extension-eligible this summer.
Advertisement
'And so what this means is the next question is, what about Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr? And I don't know the answer to this,' Windhorst said. 'The whole league is now going to investigate this. We haven't heard from the Grizzlies yet, and if I was at the Grizzlies press conference…I'd be asking, do you intend to extend Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, both of whom are extension-eligible this summer? Is that what you're doing now? Or are you pivoting the franchise? So to me, that's the big story emanating out of this trade.'
At any rate, Memphis is looking to improve after finishing with a 48-34 record, which put them eighth in the Western Conference as they were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Related: Grizzlies rumors: Bill Simmons ready for Jaren Jackson Jr. trade after Desmond Bane shocker
Related: Grizzlies rumors: Kevin O'Connor suggests full 'blow-up' with 2 more blockbuster trades
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pacers fans in full party mode after stealing Game 6 from Thunder
The post Pacers fans in full party mode after stealing Game 6 from Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Pacers entered Game 6 facing the possibility of an Oklahoma City Thunder celebration. The host team became the ones in full party mode Thursday, forcing a Game 7 for the NBA Finals. Advertisement Indiana erased an early 10-2 deficit and ran the Thunder out of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers breezed to a 108-91 rout of the Thunder. Basketball fans and those who proudly hashtag 'Yes'Cers' immediately took to social media to react to the demolition of OKC. Including the Pacers' X account posting an 'OMG' reaction of this Pascal Siakam dunk. Siakam threw it down on Game 5 star Jalen Williams. Pacer fans, though, wanted to give thanks to the man who saved Indiana's title chances: TJ McConnell. Who provided a fiery spark off the bench with his shooting and defense. Bleacher Report captured this moment before halftime — three Pacers legends Lance Stephenson, Reggie Miller and Metta World Peace all smiles. Even a past rival of Indiana couldn't help but cheer: Former Boston Celtics star Isaiah Thomas. Advertisement 'I got hella family in Indy. Go Pacers,' Thomas posted on X with the laughing face emojis. The Pacers closed the night by posting 'NOT DONE YET' on their X account. Who dominated for Pacers in rout of Thunder Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Multiple feats got reached in this pivotal game. Myles Turner hit a mark last seen by Dwight Howard. The center blocked two early shot attempts — giving him more than 45 during a playoff run. Tyrese Haliburton walked in with fan concerns over his health. Haliburton looked smooth shooting in warm ups, though. He went from four points on Monday to scoring 14 while facing elimination. He became one of six Pacers to hit double figures in points. Advertisement Obi Toppin stunned the arena, however. He took the scoring load and delivered 20 points on OKC. Toppin produced that mark in 23 minutes of play. Andrew Nembhard buried 17 points in front of the Western Conference champs. Siakam piled 16 on the Thunder. Indiana's rout pushes the series to Sunday inside the Paycom Center. Related: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton makes WWE exception to social media rule Related: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton reveals girlfriend's 'Love Island' plan after Game 6 victory
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thunder most to blame for loss to Pacers in NBA Finals Game 6
The post Thunder most to blame for loss to Pacers in NBA Finals Game 6 appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Oklahoma City Thunder entered Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday, hoping to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy as NBA Champions. Not only did they not win the game, but the Thunder were soundly beaten in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, 108-91. Even that final score is not truly indicative of how one-sided the game was. Advertisement The Pacers led by between 20 and 30 points throughout the entire second half. It was not until starters were pulled late in the fourth quarter that the Thunder made the score look respectable. Early on, things were going Oklahoma City's way. They jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead, with the defense swarming. But that changed quickly as the Pacers began moving the ball. That also coincided with the Thunder turning the ball over time and again. But we'll get to that. For the purposes of this article, we are going to visit the three Thunder players most to blame for the Game 6 blowout loss. Thunder Most to Blame for NBA Finals Game 6 Loss Chet Holmgren The first culprit for OKC is their big man, Chet Holmgren. He flat-out played terribly in Game 6, racking up 24 of the most meaningless minutes you will ever see from someone his size. Advertisement In the first quarter, Holmgren was consistently fed the ball in the paint. The 7-foot-1 center was consistently made a fool of down low by smaller defenders from the Pacers. He finished the game with four points on 2-for-9 from the floor. He turned the ball over twice, missed all three shots from beyond the arc, and looked lost at times. Through six NBA Finals games, the Thunder big man is shooting 35 percent from the field and 12 percent from downtown. Basketball fans have rarely ever seen his combination of size, athleticism, and shooting. But once again, it was made painfully clear that until Holmgren can put on some muscle (and therefore weight), he will never live up to his potential. Alex Caruso I put Alex Caruso on this list for two reasons: He was an unmitigated disaster on both ends, and he represents a poor effort from the Thunder bench. Advertisement If you just look at the box score, you might think Oklahoma City's bench came to play Thursday night. Nothing could be further from the truth. Almost all of their scoring came when the game was out of hand in the final stanza. Caruso, particularly though, woof. He played 22 minutes, finished with zero points, and had a plus/minus of -33. Only Jalen Williams' -40 was worse. The clock clearly struck midnight on this pumpkin. The Thunder's Game 4 hero was abused defensively seemingly every time down the court. It wasn't even Pacers starters doing it to him, either. But hey, in the NBA Playoffs, the bench typically doesn't show up on the road. That brings us to the biggest problem on Thursday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City's best player led the team in scoring with 21 points. They weren't even terribly inefficient either, sinking 7-for-15. Yet, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be the first to tell you he did not play well. Advertisement During the regular season, he shot better than 37 percent from three, attempting more than five per game. But that number has dropped drastically, and he only attempted one in Game 6, missing it. He also tied a playoff career-high with eight turnovers. That also tied an NBA Finals Game 6 record, per Stat Muse. Several times, he found himself in no man's land. Instead of passing out of double teams, SGA tried forcing it. He also had his pocket picked by Andrew Nembhard a few times. The Pacers thrived on Thursday night off of turnovers, turning 21 of them into 19 points. Indiana loves to run, and turning the ball over sets the stage for that to happen. Advertisement Knowing bench and role players do not typically win road playoff games, it is incumbent upon the team's stars to bring it. Gilgeous-Alexander did not do that. Now, the second youngest finals team in NBA history will host a Game 7 for all of the marbles. Related: Thunder fans call fake news on Tyrese Haliburton injury Related: Thunder's NBA Finals vs. Pacers eerily similar to Nuggets series
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Spurs Linked as Suitor for Blockbuster Trade With Celtics
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The San Antonio Spurs currently hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. They seem comfortable with keeping the pick, likely targeting Rutgers standout Dylan Harper, but trade rumors have been surrounding the franchise. Kevin Durant has been a popular name linked to the Spurs in the rumor mill. It has been reported that San Antonio is one of the teams Durant would like to be traded to. He clearly has interest in playing alongside of Victor Wembanyama. That pairing could put the Spurs on the map as a possible contender in the Western Conference. Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts to missing a shot during the first quarter in Game One of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden on May... Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts to missing a shot during the first quarter in Game One of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden on May 07, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. More Photo byNow, another name has been suggested as a potential trade target for San Antonio. This player would require the Spurs pulling off a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics. Read more: Pacers' TJ McConnell Makes Massive NBA Finals History Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix believes that Jaylen Brown would be a perfect fit for San Antonio. However, in order to get Brown, the Spurs would have to offer a very aggressive trade package. "Jaylen Brown is interesting," Mannix said. "If he's in play, that's someone I think San Antonio will look at and will go after." Mannix continued forward, revealing more of his thoughts about San Antonio and Brown being an ideal fit. "That's someone, I think if you're the Spurs, you're willing to give up the No. 2 overall pick," he said. "Jaylen Brown — if he's available, again, we don't know if he's available yet, but if he's available — I would expect San Antonio to be among the teams to make a run at him." Brown would be a much better target than Durant if the Spurs were going to trade the No. 2 pick. He would be a long-term addition and is just 28 years old. During the 2024-25 NBA season with Boston, Brown played in 63 games. He averaged 22.2 points per game to go along with 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals, while shooting 46.3 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from three-point range. Read more: Mavericks Projected to Pair Star Free Agent With Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis While his shooting numbers were down, Brown was dealing with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee through some parts of the season. It's possible that San Antonio will just stick at No. 2 and bring in Harper or another high-level rookie. There is no rush for the Spurs, as they have a long window open with Wembanyama leading the charge. Expect to hear San Antonio continually mentioned in trade rumors. Brown is an intriguing option, but there is no guarantee that the Celtics will make him available or that the Spurs would have interest in trading for him. For more on the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
