Kendrick Perkins Delivers Blunt Take On Grizzlies' Future Without Kevin Durant Or Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Memphis Grizzlies endured an up-and-down 2024–25 campaign, finishing 48–34 but parting ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games still remaining after falling from the second seed all the way to the play-in tournament. An opening round lopsided, four-game sweep against the Oklahoma City Thunder—losing by 51 points in the first game—exposed the lack of depth and leadership in Memphis.
Advertisement
The Grizzlies continued to shake things up at the start of the offseason, pulling the trigger on a massive trade, sending sharpshooter Desmond Bane, 26, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for veteran shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks (2025 No. 16 overall, 2026 via Phoenix Suns, 2028 and 2030) and a 2029 first-round pick swap.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis AntetokounmpoPetre Thomas-Imagn Images
Shortly after, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins offered a crystal clear assessment of Memphis's path forward.
'If I'm the Memphis Grizzlies, I blow it up. I trade Jaren Jackson Jr. and I trade Ja Morant especially if you can't go out there and get Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo,' Perkins said.
Advertisement
Durant and Antetokounmpo have both surfaced in trade rumors this offseason. Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, 36, has multiple suitors, but prefers to land on the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat or Houston Rockets, per Shams Charania. The two-time NBA champion averaged 26.6 points on 52.7/43.0/83.9 shooting splits in 62 games this past season.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, 30, has fueled speculation about his future after another early playoff exit, though he remains under contract through 2025–26 and has not requested a trade.
'Ja is a special talent, generational talent. Jaren Jackson Jr. is a borderline all-star. But those two guys are not going to win you a championship by themselves,' Perkins added.
Ja Morant finished the 2024–25 regular season with averages of 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 50 games while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from three. Jaren Jackson Jr., 25, anchored the paint with 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on 48.8 percent shooting, earning his third All-Defensive Team nod. Both players are extension-eligible this summer and carry cap-hit figures—roughly $23 million for Jackson Jr. and $39 million for Morant—into 2025–26.
Related: Jaren Jackson Jr. Left Speechless After Grizzlies Trade Desmond Bane
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Detroit Tigers OFs Riley Greene, Javier Báez to start for AL in 2025 MLB All-Star Game
One Detroit Tigers outfielder being named to the 2025 American League All-Star team probably wouldn't have surprised baseball fans heading into the season. The other one, however, probably would have surprised everyone. Tigers stars Riley Greene and Javier Báez were elected on Wednesday, July 2, to the AL's starting roster for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game — set for July 15 at Atlanta's Truist Park (8 p.m., Fox) — after finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, among AL outfielders in Phase 2 voting. This is Greene's second All-Star nod, after appearing as a reserve in 2024, while this is Báez's third All-Star nod (all as starters) and first with the Tigers (with the previous two coming in the National League). Greene and Báez beat out the other two Phase 2 finalists, Los Angeles' Mike Trout and Cleveland's Steven Kwan, hadily, receiving 33% and 26% of the vote respectively. Trout received 24% of the vote while Kwan got 17%. New York's Judge clinched an All-Star starting spot by receiving the most overall votes during Phase 1 of the All-Star vote. IN THE INFIELD: Detroit Tigers 2B Gleyber Torres named AL starter in 2025 MLB All-Star Game The duo are set to be the first Tigers outfielders to start for the AL in the Midsummer Classic since Magglio Ordóñez did so in left field in 2007. The Tigers will also have three position players start for the first time since 2007, with Gleyber Torres getting the starting nod in Phase 2 voting at second base. They could add a fourth starter, with left-hander Tarik Skubal considered the favorite to start on the mound. It will also be the first time two Tigers will start in the same All-Star outfield since 1976, when Ron LeFlore and Rusty Staub opened the 1976 All-Star Game in Philadelphia (with teammate Mark Fidrych on the mound) in left and right field, respectively. The 1961 Tigers also had two starting outfielders for the AL, with Rocky Colavito and Al Kaline manning left and right, respectively, in the second All-Star Game that summer. The Tigers have had two All-Star starters in the outfield one other time: 1948, with Pat Mullin in right and Hoot Evers in center. The other AL infield starters: Toronto's Vladimir Guererro Jr. at first base, the Athletics' Jacob Wilson at shortstop, Cleveland's José Ramírez at third base, Seattle's Cal Raleigh at catcher and Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn at designated hitter. Greene has built upon a breakout 2024 season, entering Wednesday's play slashing .296/.348/.539 in 348 plate appearances over 83 games. Entering Wednesday's doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, he led all qualified Tigers batters in home runs (19), RBIs (63), batting average (.296) and OPS (.887). Greene entered Wednesday third among AL outfielders in fWAR (3.0), per FanGraphs, behind only Judge and Minnesota's Byron Buxton. Greene was Detroit's sole position player at the 2024 All-Star game, with lefty Tarik Skubal joining him on the pitching side. Skubal is expected to be selected when pitchers and reserves are named on Sunday, July 6, and could be named the AL's starting pitcher on July 14. Finishing No. 2 in the Phase 2 of voting was Báez, who has had a renaissance at multiple positions for the Tigers in 2025. A shortstop over his first three seasons as a Tiger, Báez had 33 games in center field this season (entering Wednesday), the most of any position for the Tigers' highest-paid player. Báez's defensive versatility has been key for a team which suffered early-season injuries from outfielders Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling and Wenceel Pérez. Despite never having played center field in the majors before 2025, Báez has put up above-average defensive value at the position according to Statcast while making highlight-reel catches. Celebrate 125 seasons of the Tigers with our new book! Báez has also put up his best offensive season while with the Tigers, entering Wednesday slashing .285/.323/.460 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs in 254 plate appearances over 71 games. That includes 2.2 bWAR (according to Baseball Reference) — more than he accumulated in his previous three years combined for the Tigers. Báez was named an All-Star at second base in 2018 and at shortstop 2019 with the Chicago Cubs. His 2018 season was statistically his best, as he led the league with 111 RBIs and finished with an .881 OPS, finishing second in the NL MVP vote to Christian Yelich. PURR-FECT GAME: Tigers' Spencer Torkelson could come up short in MLB All-Star picks You can reach Christian at cromo@
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
'Unicorn' Clayton Kershaw joins 3,000 strikeout club
LOS ANGELES – Agonizing. Tortuous. Painful. At times it was that tough watching Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw on the mound before the magical moment Kershaw became the 20th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters – and he did it against the lowly Chicago White Sox the hard way. Entering the game needing only three strikeouts to reach the milestone, Kershaw labored through six innings. Until on his 100th pitch, he recorded strikeout No. 3,000. Kershaw, 37, left with the Dodgers trailing the Chicago White Sox 4-2– and the home crowd roaring after his achievement. He was on the hook for the loss until the Dodgers rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, earning a 5-4 win with Freddie Freeman's walk-off single. Kershaw is not flawless pitcher, given his share of postseason struggles. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was spot on before the game when he called Kershaw 'a unicorn." The Dodgers clubhouse also happens to be occupied by baseball's ultimate unicorn – Shohei Ohtani. He's the ultimate two-way superstar, recently throwing a 102 mph fastball and at 30 already having won three MVP awards. But Kershaw has done something Ohtani can't match. In fact, there's a chance no player ever will. It starts with loyalty. Tommy Lasorda, the late Dodgers manager insisted he bled Dodger Blue. There's no need to check Kershaw's veins. Clearly, he's a blueblood. He has spent his entire 18-year career with the Dodgers, and joining the exclusive club of pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts further underscored how rare that is. Of the 20 pitchers in the 3,000 club, only Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson got there while playing exclusively with one club – Johnson with the Washington Senators and Gibson with the St. Louis Cardinals. Kershaw's on-field contributions to the Dodgers put him in rare company. Ten All-Star appearances. Three Cy Young awards. Two World Series rings. Entering Wednesday, he had a 216-94 career record and a ERA of 2.51. Clayton's journey to 3,000. Roberts said Kershaw, 37, also impacts the younger pitchers on the Dodgers' staff. 'A lot guys grab him, get his ear," Roberts said. 'But for the most part, I think that's just kind of how he goes about it. He's always talking the game. He's watching the game. More importantly, he's very consistent. 'Even yesterday I was watching in the pen, he was doing his dry work (practicing skills without using a ball) and this is something he's done for 18 years the day before a start.'' Roberts said Kershaw had the 3,000-strikeout milestone in mind when he decided to return to the Dodgers in 2025. But before the season started, Kershaw underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and a ruptured plantar plate in his left big toe. Recovering, Kershaw did not make his first start until May 17. He entering the historic game 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA and with 29 strikeouts in 38 ⅔ innings pitched this season. It's more than many people expected from a veteran who's grown more brittle, and, Roberts said, 'A reminder for me for anyone to never bet against that guy." The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Milwaukee Bucks Orchestrate Complicated Deal to Steal Myles Turner From Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks Orchestrate Complicated Deal to Steal Myles Turner From Indiana Pacers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On Tuesday, the Indiana Pacers lost their longest-tenured player, Myles Turner. He agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, paying him an average of $26.7 million a year, slightly more than the Pacers were willing to offer him. Advertisement With that, the Pacers' title window seems closed, at least until Tyrese Haliburton can return from his torn Achilles, and the Bucks are well on their way to competing in a weak Eastern Conference. In order to pair Turner with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks waived Damian Lillard, stretching out the remaining season of his contract over five years. Turner was expected to re-sign with the Pacers, although the team's unwillingness to enter the luxury tax for the first time since 2005 ended up ensuring that they did not offer him a competitive offer. As a result, Turner stays in the East, heads to a rival, and will compete for a title. Advertisement The Bucks still need to find a point guard, but they successfully paired Giannis with a floor-spacing center and are hoping to replicate the success he found with Brook Lopez. Turner is an excellent shooter and rim protector, and Giannis will be able to guard any position while Turner anchors the paint. The Pacers, meanwhile, now don't have a starting-caliber center on the roster. Deandre Ayton was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers and is a free agent, and in a desperate move, Indiana could target him despite his well-documented lack of effort throughout his career. Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: Indiana Pacers Make Major Free Agency Decisions Related: Rick Carlisle Gets in Tune With Inner Gregg Popovich With Recent Coaching Hire This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
