NBA Trades: Grizzles Grade Highly In Shane Battier Deal With Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies: This trade would have made more sense if the deal that would have sent O.J. Mayo to the Indiana Pacers to clear the wing logjam had actually gone through, but it's still an excellent move. As long as the Grizzlies are gunning for the playoffs (they're currently tied for eighth), Battier is a great fit as a solid veteran that plays excellent defense even still. He'll probably start until Rudy Gay gets healthy, then shift to a reserve role.

The cost was pretty minimal to make this happen. Thabeet was a draft bust that had no value to the team, and the draft pick is far into the future. There's also no future flexibility sacrificed, since Battier has an expiring contract. Grade: B+

Houston Rockets: I don't know about this one. There's really no upside to Thabeet at this point, and the pick is pretty meaningless. Houston had a void at center, but there's very little chance Thabeet really fills it, and any hopes that he will seems like wishful thinking. Battier was a free agent that was likely to leave anyway, but given how many contenders could always use a player like him, the return is a bit disappointing. Grade: C-