Memphis Grizzlies 2025 Offseason Big Board Part 1: Aggressive, Savvy Targets and Priority Decisions

The Memphis Grizzlies have a pivotal offseason where their direction seems relatively unknown. In a two-part series, I make an offseason big board that starts with splashes and priorities.

The Memphis Grizzlies have big decisions ahead of them. Yes, going to the Conference Finals and even competing for a championship is the goal. The Grizzlies also just have to get back to the level it reached in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

With that comes roster decisions. In exit interviews, Zach Kleiman talked about being more open-minded when it comes to constructing the roster in the lens of contending for championships.

As we enter June, a few weeks away until transactional dominos start to fall, I’m going to build out a big board of offseason targets. It’ll be divided into two pieces. First, we’ll go through the aggressive, savvy moves to bolster its playoff rotation and possibly the top of the roster — as well as priority decisions with contract questions with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama. After the weekend, I’ll go through some players to target to round out the rotation and roster in a less significant degree.

To start, who are the players the Grizzlies could go after to enhance its chances of becoming a contender?

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo is everyone else’s big fish target — if he truly demands to leave Milwaukee.

I’m not going to waste much time here. If landing a top-5 player in the world — an all-time great — is a realistic possibility, you go for it. Whatever it takes.

It’d likely cost at least one of Morant, Jackson, and Bane. That’s the price of doing business to get a superstar.

If he’s leaving Milwaukee though, it’s either going to be a team with a top-10 pick (San Antonio, Brooklyn, Toronto, Houston), or a team like New York or Golden State.

What it would take? There are two pathways here. If the Bucks want Morant, it’d probably be Morant, Zach Edey, GG Jackson with every pick and swap available. If the Bucks want Jackson, maybe they could do Jackson, Clarke, GG with every pick and swap. Again, I see him going East or to a Texas team — if he wants out at all.

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Figuring out Jaren Jackson Jr.’s future is the most important thing this summer. It’s a big reason the Grizzlies sent out Marcus Smart for expiring money: to lock Jackson in long-term, in the event he didn’t make All-NBA.

Now, the Grizzlies will look to perform a renegotiation-and-extension with Jackson. I’ve outlined how the Grizzlies do so in a previous column, and I’ll even do a mock offseason in scenarios he does and doesn’t go for an extension this summer.

It’s paramount to lock Jackson in this summer. Yes, the Grizzlies have been in familiar territory with a homegrown cornerstone having a contract year ahead of unrestricted free agency — Mike Conley (2016) and Marc Gasol (2015). However, no one wants an open contract situation looming over the season. The slightest adversity triggers trade rumors around the deadline, or the daunting “are they going to lose him for nothing” questions. It gets in the way of winning.

Jackson has evolved his game the past several years. He remains an All-Defensive big man, and has now paired it with a versatile offensive game that creates mismatches. Yes, he has improvements to make — how to adjust to different coverages, to get off the ball before doubles hit. Nonetheless, he’s one of the best 20-25 players in the league. However, this is a dude who — by All-NBA voting — is a top-20 player that’s only 25 years old. He’s already one of the most accomplished players in franchise history with a Defensive Player of the Year award, two All-Star appearances, three All-Defensive team selections (two of them on First Team), and All-Rookie first team. Locking him up long-term is entirely worth it, regardless of what critics say.

The Grizzlies have to take care of Jackson’s contract before the 2025-26 season — or at the very least, get assurance he’s in for the long haul.

Kevin Durant

The Grizzlies have been linked to Durant since his initial trade request from Brooklyn — reportedly offering all their picks and swaps at the time. Former Warriors exec Bob Myers slipped on ESPN that the Grizzlies were going Durant at this year’s deadline. Will they make a pursuit again? Obviously, Durant is still an elite talent that’s one of the best pure scorers of all time. He’s a walking remedy to curing a halfcourt offense. Even with his injury woes the past few years, his teams perform at an elite level when he’s on the floor. He’d give the Grizzlies a 1A they can go to deep in the playoffs.

What would it take? The challenge with trading for Durant now is it’ll have to involve one of Morant, Jackson, or Bane to come close to matching salaries. The Grizzlies could do something like Bane, Brandon Clarke, GG Jackson, a 2027 first, and a 2029 1st. Maybe they relinquish swap rights with Phoenix in 2026 and 2030. It’d be electric, but with the durability issues with Morant and Durant, it’d be a huge risk at the same time.

Derrick White

The Boston Celtics will be looking to retool their roster with their huge tax bill and with Jayson Tatum’s catastrophic achilles injury. While trade rumors swirl, every GM will call about Derrick White. As the Grizzlies have had previous interest in Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Alex Caruso, White would fall in the same boat. He’s transformed into a lights-out volume shooter that can function as a primary or secondary creator. Most importantly, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in all of basketball — possessing the ability to defend various archetypes, and to create defensive events. Boston likely holds on to White, but if he somehow hits the trade market, expect gaudy offers.

What would it take? Brandon Clarke, John Konchar, GG Jackson, Vince Williams, a 2027 1st, 2028 swap, 2029 1st, and 2031 1st seems like an aggressive, yet doable offer for White. I can see them asking for Jaylen Wells, which would create a tough scenario for Memphis.

Trey Murphy III

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor recently reported that nobody in New Orleans is untouchable. I’m not sure Joe Dumars leaves the league office for a rebuild. However, with every team in the West going for it, do they look around and go into extreme selling mode to try to emulate OKC’s rebuild? Who knows. If that’s the case, Murphy becomes a prime trade target for teams. He won’t provide the primary point-of-attack defense the Grizzlies should look for, but he’s a tremendous shooter that took major creation strides in the Pelicans’ gap year. In addition, he’s a real 6’10” shot-maker. That’s a coveted archetype.

What would it take? Santi Aldama sign-and-trade, GG Jackson, 2027 1st, and 2029 1st. Maybe the draft capital and cost-controlled players could help swing this hypothetical offer — it also helps the Pelicans’ payroll.

Mikal Bridges

The Grizzlies are always in the mix for Mikal Bridges. It’s hard to see the Knicks sell on a player they traded the draft capital farm for. However, after an underwhelming season — and with an extension in balance — the Knicks could use Bridges to go get Giannis or Durant. He’d give Memphis a defensive stopper that can create his own shot and shoot the three-ball effectively. In addition, he’s a credible fourth option for a team with championship aspirations.

What would it take? For the sake of the exercise, let’s say the Knicks go after Kevin Durant. They can send out Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson. Memphis can ship Clarke, Konchar, and Huff to Phoenix with Williams going to the Knicks. From a draft capital standpoint, the Knicks can send out their top-10 protected first-round pick via Washington, but the rest of their picks package is murky because of the initial Bridges trade. Memphis can relinquish swap rights in 2026 and 2030, while sending out a 2027 first-round pick. I doubt Phoenix trades Bridges in this scenario, but Memphis pushing for him in this event wouldn’t be shocking.

Herb Jones

If the Grizzlies really want to make a push to bolster their point-of-attack defense via trade, Herb Jones is the target. Although he missed all but 20 games due to a torn rotator cuff, he’s one of the very best perimeter defenders in basketball. He has spectacular size and length on the wing, coupling it with an aggressive mindset where he can hound ball-handlers or wreak havoc in the passing lanes. He can cover any positional archetype, and with his size and improved shooting, he offers lineup versatility. He’s an improved playmaker that can at least create in a tertiary role — something that hasn’t been there for the Grizzlies, and has to be because of the subpar frontcourt playmaking. If the Grizzlies acquired Herb Jones, their defense would be so back.

What would it take? Brandon Clarke would need to be the salary matcher — although they can do John Konchar, GG Jackson, and Vince Williams with picks. For the sake of easy salary-matching, especially if the Grizzlies have to trade Konchar to open up cap space, Clarke and GG with their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks would be a good offer for Herb.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Nickeil Alexander-Walker checks so many boxes. He’s a feisty point-of-attack defender that offers pressure all 94 feet. He’s a knockdown shooter with pinches of creation. He provides a decent amount of event creation. Shown in the back-to-back Western Conference Finals, he’s a battle-tested veteran that matches the timeline of the core. He can easily be the Grizzlies’ sixth man and a fixture in closing lineups. In addition, he seems to be out of Minnesota since they can only offer him 175% of his current salary with “Early Bird Rights,” which come out to $7,875,000 per year (175% of $4.5M) — well below his market value.

What would it take? If the Grizzlies cannot get to a renegotiation-and-extension with Jaren Jackson, then they should offer the full $14.1M non-taxpayer mid-level exception to Alexander-Walker. No matter what. Otherwise, they could do a sign-and-trade where a third team could receive Brandon Clarke (or other matching salary) with two second-round picks, the Grizzlies gets Alexander-Walker, then Minnesota acquires a trade exception. I don’t see the Grizzlies getting Alexander-Walker without the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

Naji Marshall/PJ Washington

The Mavericks may need to make moves to account for Cooper Flagg’s arrival and to get away from the second apron. Could the Grizzlies benefit here? Both Naji Marshall and PJ Washington fit the bill of guys that would add more dog on the roster. The Luka Doncic trade and a slew of injuries derailed their efficiency. However, they both should provide play-finishing in the form of outside shooting and shots at the rim — Marshall’s slashing is also intriguing. Both players are on relatively team-friendly deals with Marshall below the MLE and with Washington’s $14.1M will be expiring.

What would it take? I’m going to take a spin off of an idea from The Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington in the latest Grizzlies podcast. By the way, Chris and Drew Hill did a great job breaking down the nuances of the Jaren Jackson Jr. contract situation. A three-team trade could be beneficial with the Grizzlies receiving Marshall or Washington, the Suns receiving Konchar and a second, and the Mavericks receiving Cody Martin and a second. It might take more draft capital. If the Grizzlies use Konchar as a renegotiation and extension, they could flip Huff and Williams to Phoenix, Cody Martin and a 2nd go to Dallas, then Memphis gets Marshall.

Cam Johnson

I’m cooled on the idea of Johnson. The Grizzlies need more defensive fortitude, and Johnson doesn’t provide that. However, he’s an electric offensive weapon. He ranked in the 96th percentile in offensive estimated plus/minus (+3.1) due to his outside shooting, movement, and empowered creation. While he may not provide a ton of oomph defensively, he has good size and isn’t a liability there.

What would it take? The main deal that makes sense is some sort of sign-and-trade with Santi Aldama and a 2027 first-round pick. Yossi Gozlan from The Third Apron suggested a trade that brought Johnson to Memphis for Clarke, GG, and a top-8 protected 2026 first-round pick — great breakdown of the Grizzlies’ offseason possibilities by the way.

Derrick Jones Jr.

The Clippers are reportedly a team interested in Jrue Holiday, per Michael Scotto from Hoops Hype, and the salary of Jones would likely need to included. Could the Grizzlies swoop in as a third team? Do the Celtics want the veteran Jones? Would they want more assets? Do they need to shed salary? Nonetheless, Jones has put in a lot of work to become more than a dunking specialist — leveraging his physical tools as a defender and rebounder, while becoming a more credible shooter.

What would it take? Jrue Holiday to the Clippers, Derrick Jones Jr. to Memphis, then Boston gets John Konchar, Bogdan Bogdanovic, a 2031 first-round pick from the Clippers, and two-second round picks from Memphis. Would that play?

Santi Aldama

Re-signing Santi Aldama should be a a pretty important task for the Grizzlies’ offseason. He emerged as a key piece for the Grizzlies last season. Critics will be out on Aldama for his defense, but there’s value in his shot-making and creation as a 24 year-old 7-footer. His skill provides optionality for him to play either forward position, an important functionality as the NBA scales up in size and skill. Worth noting, he’s shot 43.6% across 10 playoff games in his career. Having role players that can hit shots matters when trying to win multiple playoff series.

The number for Aldama’s number is up in there, but not many teams have cap space to offer him anything above the non-taxpayer MLE. Could the Grizzlies find something between $50-60M over four years? That could be good value for Aldama as an investment in his development as a playoff rotation player. For what it’s worth, I’d prioritize bringing Aldama back over some of the names mentioned above.

Jarace Walker

Sometimes the best way to get the big wing archetype everyone covets is to get in on them early — the draft or a value trade. Walker could fit the mold. His defense is in theory, but he’s a big-bodied forward with nimbleness and a 7’2” wingspan. He’s shot 40% from 3 in his career, although on low volume. With Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin ahead of him in the depth chart, it’s fair to wonder when Walker can get substantial playing time. Could that open up an opportunity to call for him? If so, he could be a swing on talent that’ll still have two years left on his rookie contract.

What would it take? The Grizzlies could offer a 2027 lottery-protected first-round pick that conveys to their 2027 second-round pick (via Atlanta) and Memphis’ 2031 second-round pick. It seems more likely that the Pacers hold onto Walker as cost-controlled depth as they’re facing the tax. The Grizzlies have two trade exceptions worth roughly $6M and $7M each, meaning they can could acquire him without outgoing salary.

Tari Eason

I’ve always been so high on Eason. He was an original target for when the Grizzlies had that protected Lakers pick in 2022. If the Rockets go big-fish hunting (specifically Giannis), then the Grizzlies should try to swoop in to get him from Milwaukee. He’s elite at the possessions game — crushes both the offensive and defensive glass, generates stocks, and flies up and down the floor in transition. He could easily become a major swing piece for Memphis.

What would it take? For starters, I only see Eason going out of Houston if it meant they’re getting Giannis. Could they offer the same pick package I mentioned above for Walker?

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This is how I’d rank this big board of these targets, my upper echelon of offseason targets:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

2. Jaren Jackson Jr.

3. Derrick White

4. Kevin Durant

5. Trey Murphy III

6. Herb Jones

7. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

8. Santi Aldama

9. Tari Eason

10. Naji Marshall

11. Cam Johnson

12. PJ Washington

13. Jarace Walker

14. Derrick Jones Jr.

Stay tuned for part two where I target players to round out the rest of the roster. They could be in the rotation, or they can be the next man up. It should also not cost an arm and a leg to acquire them.

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