NBA Trade Rumors: 7 Bold deadline targets to make Golden State Warriors title contenders
Marcus Smart, Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are the other Western Conference contender that has gotten off to a surprisingly slow start to the season, even worse than the Golden State Warriors. Even though Ja Morant is set to return from suspension later this month, I'd keep a close eye on what's taking place in Memphis. The Grizzlies are in a big enough hole where the return of Morant may not be enough to salvage the season.
And if that is indeed the case, you can't help but wonder how much of a seller the team might be at the NBA Trade Deadline. One player that the team could look to send away is Marcus Smart. He's not necessarily tied to the team's core and could be used as an asset to add a frontcourt player leading up to the trade deadline.
For the Warriors, Smart offers the winning mentality and intangibles that they've been missing to start the season. He's essentially a Draymond Green-type player in the backcourt. That'd be a win for a Warriors team that has struggled more than usual on the defensive end of the floor this season.