Memphis Grizzlies
Expendable difference-maker: Derrick Rose
It's been a forgettable start to the season for the Memphis Grizzlies. They haven't managed to survive without Ja Morant, who is still out due to a 25-game suspension, and they've also been decimated by early-season injuries that give the team little hope of turning things around. One player that the Grizzlies could theoretically get by without in the lineup is Derrick Rose, who hasn't played a big part for the Grizzlies so far this season.
And the return of Morant, which will happen in the next few weeks, will only shrink Smart's role on the team. In the 11 games that Rose has appeared in for the Grizzlies, he's averaged nine points and three assists on 46 percent shooting from the field. He may not be a natural backup guard for the Grizzlies when they're healthy, but he could perhaps play that role for another team.
As the Grizzlies try to figure out what the future is, Rose is a player who could be viewed as expendable for Memphis.