The Wolves and Grizzlies are reportedly working on a deal that would send Chase Budinger and J.J. Barea to the Grizzlies for Tayshaun Prince and Tony Allen. Of course there are a ton of rumors at this time of year, so who knows what's really going on, but there seems to be some smoke and maybe fire here.
Here is the most recent text from Woj:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Minnesota firm that it wants Tony Allen to join Tayshaun Prince in Budinger-Barea deal, but Memphis resisting - for now, sources tell Yahoo.</p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/436179052273995776">February 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Having spent the last hour thinking about this, I cannot figure out why the Wolves would want to make this deal.
Tayshaun Prince is not only done as an effective NBA player, but has one more season at $7+ million under contract, making him a worse deal than J.J. Barea. Tony Allen is on the downside of a fantastic defensive career and just signed a four year extension this past summer. It's possible I suppose that he is the best player in the deal, but if he is, it isn't by much, and the Wolves also have to take on the worst player in the deal as well.
Meanwhile, it makes them even more expensive and bogged down in salary. Perhaps they are thinking they would use the stretch provision on Prince? I really don't know.
What I do know is that a 2nd unit that struggles mightily to score would be in even more trouble offensively by making this deal.
I don't see the thinking behind this one. Usually there is a path to understanding what the Wolves do, even if the logic is ultimately flawed. It's hard to see the thinking here. Anyone?
What else are you hearing as trade deadline nears?