Portland Trail Blazers: 3 mid-season trades to consider

Trade #3 – Derrick Jones Jr and a second-round pick for Kyle Anderson

The Memphis Grizzlies have one of the more interesting cores in the Western Conference, and Kyle Anderson surprisingly is one of the more longer-tenured members of the squad. Though they made the playoffs last year, it’s unclear if they want to start paying guys like Anderson in the next year or two when they have extensions due for guys like Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Also, with the emergence of Xavier Tillman and the exciting Brandon Clarke, it’s hard to know if Anderson’s, timeline, at age 28, fits with these other bigs.

If the Grizzlies season doesn’t go how they expect in 2022, then maybe they move off guys like  Anderson.

Having the best year of his career in 2021, Anderson could be the perfect four / three off the Blazer bench or starting at the four next Covington.

He shot a career-high 36 percent on 3.8 attempts a game, to go with career highs in scoring and assists. Though his nickname is ” slowmo, ” Anderson has a well-rounded game where he can defend multiple positions, finish well at the rim and draw fouls, as well as having some of the highest assist rates for a forward in the NBA.

Anderson has one year left on his contract after at around 9.9 million, giving Jones up to Memphis so they have another defender and asset to use in the Draft, which could give the Blazers the proper power forward they need to pair with Nurkic.