Luck is a part of life in the NBA. Nobody likes it, but it’s always present. Sometimes, a team will simply find themselves down on their luck.
This year, that’s been the case for the Memphis Grizzlies. They started the year without Ja Morant. Steven Adams had to miss the entire season. Morant returned from his suspension – only to quickly get injured for the rest of the year.
The Grizzlies are dealing with some bad luck. As a result, their 2023-24 season is probably lost. The Grizzlies should look to move some of their players to a team that’s having some better luck. Could they send Marcus Smart to the Sacramento Kings?
The Trade Proposal
Memphis Grizzlies receive: G/F Kevin Huerter
Sacramento Kings receive: G Marcus Smart
Others will say that you make your luck. It’s been a difficult year for the Grizzlies. How much of that difficulty was self-imposed?
It’s hard to say. The Grizzlies let Dillon Brooks join the Houston Rockets. They acquired Smart to replace him. Arguably, that’s looked like a mistake. Brooks is having a career year in Houston, whereas Smart has struggled – and Memphis gave up assets for him.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies chose to rely on Morant. As incredible of a player as he is, his off-court issues are well-documented. The Grizzlies have certainly had bad luck, but if they want to avoid bad luck in the future, they’ll need Morant to change his ways. With that said, they couldn’t help his injury. Should they trade another guard in his absence?
Why The Memphis Grizzlies Do The Deal
Smart is having a subpar year. So is Huerter. In a sense, the Grizzlies are trading a distressed asset for another one. Is it worth their time?
We think so. Smart was supposed to replace Brooks’ defensive intensity. He’s done that. With that said, Smart has been a streaky shooter throughout his entire career. By contrast, Huerter is typically a knockdown shooter. In 2024-25, he may be a better compliment to Morant as a floor spacer.
Besides, he’s no slouch on the defensive end either. Huerter is a smart help defender even if he’s not as strong at the point of attack as Smart. Should the Kings part with him?
Why The Sacramento Kings Do The Deal
OK, fine – we undersold the defensive gap between Smart and Huerter. Smart is significantly better. He’s an equally smart help defender, a much better man defender, and a better defensive playmaker.
We’re talking about Marcus Smart here. This is the first guard to win the Defensive Player of the Year award since Gary Payton. He’s one of the best defensive guards in the NBA – and that’s critical for the Kings.
After all, this is one of the best offensive teams in the NBA, but the Kings struggle on defense. Smart will help. He can also run the offense for spells when De’Aaron Fox is resting. With some luck, Smart could help this team make a deep playoff run.
