The Grizzlies appeared unlikely to keep all three players acquired in the Eric Bledsoe trade with the Clippers: Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu.
Memphis is flipping Beverley – to the Timberwolves for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
The Memphis Grizzlies are trading Patrick Beverley to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 17, 2021
Though the Grizzlies were expected to make another move, that was because they had too many players. This two-for-one trade gets them further from the regular-season standard-contract roster limit (15).
The 33-year-old Beverley replaces Ricky Rubio (traded to the Cavaliers) as Minnesota’s veteran-leader point guard. Beverley will provide defensive energy to a team that badly needs it, though we’ll see how large his role is with D’Angelo Russell entrenched as the Timberwolves’ top point guard.
Beverley is on a $14,320,987 expiring contract.
Neither Culver ($8,109,063 team option that must be decided by Nov. 1) nor Hernangomez ($7,419,505 unguaranteed until June 30) have guaranteed salaries for 2022-23, either.
The No. 6 pick in the 2019 draft, Culver hasn’t carved out a niche in two NBA seasons. His option will likely get declined unless he suddenly shows more in Memphis – if he even sticks in Memphis.
Hernangomez’s relationship with the Timberwolves became strained after they blocked him from playing for Spain in the Tokyo Olympics. He’s a stretch four with the toughness to contribute as a rebounder and defender, but he’s a streaky 3-point shooter and hasn’t established his all-around game.
It’s unclear whether the Grizzlies value both Culver and Hernangomez or just one and used the other for salary matching. But Memphis clearly sees something in at least one of the two to flip the fairly effective Beverley for this package.