Report: Grizzlies gauging trade market for Chandler Parsons, No. 4 pick package

The Memphis Grizzlies may be plotting moves ahead of next week’s draft.

Michael Scotto of The Athletic reported on Thursday that the Grizzlies are gauging the trade market for a package consisting of forward Chandler Parsons and the No. 4 overall pick.

The 29-year-old Parsons is obviously a negative asset for Memphis right now — he signed a four-year, $94 million deal with them in 2016 but has averaged just 7.1 points a game in 70 total appearances since then thanks to persistent knee troubles. However, the No. 4 pick in a deep draft class could be just the sweetener the Grizzlies need to attach in order to unload Parsons’ contract.

The jury is still out on if sacrificing a prime shot at a star young player is worth shedding Parsons’ salary, especially for a team that isn’t really a big free-agent destination to begin with. But the Grizzlies need to explore all possible routes for improvement after a miserable 22-60 season, and this is at least a more realistic option than some of the others they have been considering.