Why Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals
01/04/2025 01:59 PM
Everyone loves a Cinderella story, especially when they play for your hometown team. Thankfully for Fedex Forum fans, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s disrespected Memphis Grizzlies have a storybook rookie season unfolding this season. Jaylen Wells might even be worth mentioning with Morant and Jackson Jr. as off-limits assets through the NBA Trade Deadline. Even stars like Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum do not raise the Grizzlies’ ceiling enough if it means losing Wells.
Jimmy Butler will reportedly never suit up for the Miami Heat again. Both CJ McCollum and the Pelicans need fresh starts. Taylor Jenkins may like more firepower as Ja Morant (shoulder) battles injury woes but the front office has to be more worried about the long-term viability of such a move.
Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are the championship core. Everything else is just window dressing in a way but the franchise has a contingency plan in rookies Wells and Zach Edey. Any newcomer is going to have to step back from their usual mode of operation and make a substantial adjustment.
Looking at how Wells, Butler, and McCollum stack up in their current situations suggests neither veteran would make much of a difference. The money crunch on PoBo/GM Zach Kleiman would be quite significant, however.
- Jaylen Wells (4 years, $7.9 million – Grizzlies hold options/rights)
- per 100 possessions: 21.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.2 steals/blocks, 2.1 turnovers
- per 36 minutes: 16.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals/blocks, 1.7 turnovers
- Jimmy Butler ($48 million in 2024-25, $52 million Player Option)
- per 100 possessions: 28 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.6 steals/blocks, 2 turnovers
- per 36 minutes: 20.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.8 steals/blocks, 1.4 turnovers
- CJ McCollum ($33.3 million in 2024-25, $30 million 2025-26)
- per 100 possessions: 31.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2 steals/blocks, 2.4 turnovers
- per 36 minutes: 24.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals/blocks, 1.8 turnovers
Sure, Butler and McCollum add a bit more scoring but they would also take the ball away from Morant, Jackson Jr., and Bane. Yes, Butler and McCollum would be useful and short-term upgrades over Wells for the next 50 games. Memphis would have very few bench options in case of emergency. Matching salaries would be difficult without also including Marcus Smart along with other rotational pieces like Sanit Aldama and Jake LaRavia.
There are several ways to upgrade the current roster without parting ways with Wells. The Grizzlies just have to be patient. Butler and McCollum might not even be the best options available over the next year. The Pelicans are also dealing with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson situations for example.
Teams that fall short of the NBA Finals will also be looking to restructure. A move now that means losing Wells as an asset is too risky to even consider. Getting greedy by trying to cash in on a surprising Wells now would not only be shortsighted but also out of character for the Grizzlies.
Grizzlies cannot get greedy
The long-term strategy cannot be sacrificed for short-term gains. Memphis has more than a handful of first- and second-round picks to work with over the next few seasons. Will any one of those selections wind up being better than Jaylen Wells? That’s doubtful. Wells might be better than Butler and McCollum after another 100 NBA games.
Opportunity costs matter. Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum are declining assets. Memphis has operated as a smart small market team on the rise. Unless the front office is absolutely sure that everything will work out, which it can’t be, Wells has to be off the table for any over-30 veteran. The risk is too great for a reward that limits the team’s future, hamstrings the salary cap, and puts a lid on their current potential.
Trading Wells and other assets for an aging star has more potential to backfire than end with an NBA Finals run. The Oklahoma City Thunder fleeced the Los Angeles Clippers and got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the process. Wells might not make an All-NBA team, but the All-Star potential is clear.
It’s a straightforward game plan for the Grizzlies. Keep the second-rounder around for as long as possible on a team-friendly deal and shop elsewhere if needed. Wait out the market, especially considering Butler’s suspension and exile from the Miami Heat. Butler and McCollum will not be the only options available before Jaren Jackson Jr.’s next contract extension kicks in.
Wells might be the best option regardless of service time or draft position though. That should make the 21-year-old near untouchable going into the NBA Trade Deadline.
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