Dave Joerger's migration from Memphis to Sacramento produced ripples in the seas of the NBA, which have already reached the shoreline of Boston Harbor.
Buried among Boston's treasure trove of assets is a Grizzlies future first-round pick, which can be conveyed in 2019 at the earliest (the pick is top eight protected in 2019, top six in 2020, and unprotected in 2021).
Mike Conley is a free agent this summer. Marc Gasol is 31 years old and coming off a major foot injury. Zach Randolph and Tony Allen are free agents after next season. With a lack of youthful talent, a less than desirable free agent location, and an aging team, one must wonder if the Grizzlies, despite making the playoffs for six-straight seasons, could be on the verge of a collapse.
Now Joerger's axing only further illustrates Memphis' murky future. By the 2018-19 season, the Grit and Grind era of the Grizzlies could be deceased. And if that is the case, then the Celtics will be beneficiaries.
Joerger's departure should add some luster to the protected 2019 pick, another valuable trading piece for the Celtics. If they're in heavy trade negotiations, it's a piece they could offer as a compromise instead of the unprotected 2017 or 2018 Nets first-rounders. Or it could ultimately be an asset they keep in their wheelhouse with the hopes of having another high lottery pick in the 2021 season.
The Kings hired Joerger on Monday, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, which could also impact the Celtics, who possibly covet All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. But Joerger's presence adds much needed support to an organization more unstable than a Jenga tower. To put it simply, Joerger actually wants to coach the Kings, as John Karalis of Reds Army recently wrote. So maybe part of the appeal includes making things work with a transcendent talent like Cousins.
If that's the case, then Cousins could be taken off the trade negotiation table, meaning there'd be one less superstar for the Celtics to pursue using their assets this summer. Then again, the front office might be looking for a clean slate and there's no better time to do that than after hiring a new head coach.
Only time will tell if Dave Joerger's change of scenery remains a mere ripple in the vast NBA sea, or if it's one domino of an inevitable trading tsunami.
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