The Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies have completed a one-player trade that sends Jazz shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to the Grizzlies for a 2011 first-round pick.
Brewer has an expiring $2.7 million contract that was costing Utah double because they are over the luxury tax. Since the Jazz have several players capable of folling the two-guard spot, a trade involving Brewer that frees up money isn’t a waste of an asset.
The Grizzlies were in the opposite situation; they lacked depth at the guard spot. Though wing players Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay are all fine or above average, they have been struggling to find a solid back-up for Mayo or Conley to man the guard position. Players like Jamaal Tinsley or Marcus Williams have been getting minutes and Memphis even signed former Boston guard Lester Hudson to give him a run.
Now, Brewer gives them a solidified option to back-up Mayo at the point or give Conley a rest while Mayo switches over to handle the ball. A move like also allows guys like Sam Young and DeMarre Carroll to play their true positions as they had both been playing shooting guard and small forward respectively.
Brewer was averaging 10 points a game for the Jazz and is shooting nearly 50% from the field on the year, doing most of his work at the rim.
