The Cavaliers and Grizzlies hooked up today for the first trade of 2013, and though it was by no means a blockbuster, it's not without significant implications. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors looked this morning at how the trade affects Rudy Gay, and the swap already set off a series of other moves. The Cavs waived Jeremy Pargo to fit the three incoming players on their roster, while Memphis signed Chris Johnson (the small forward from Dayton, not the center from LSU who's with the Timberwolves). The Grizzlies reportedly considering a handful of others for the other roster spot they have to fill to get up to the league minimum of 13 players.
There's other news in the wake of the trade this evening, and we'll round it up here:
Earlier updates:
- While Marreese Speights upgrades the team's corps of inside players in the short term, the first-round draft pick is what most interested the Cavs, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. Boyer also breaks down the details of the protection attached to the pick.
- Neither Cavs GM Chris Grant nor Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace plans to step back from discussions about other deals, as both are still aggressively pursuing other trades, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, examines the winners and losers of the swap, naming new Memphis owner Robert Pera the biggest winner of all for avoiding the tax this season.
