2026 NBA Draft mini-mock part 1: What if Grizzlies jump into the top-4?

Who should the Memphis Grizzlies pick if they draw some lottery luck?

The NBA Draft Lottery is in four days.

14 teams can see their fortunes change with the right bounce, as anyone jumping into the top 4 — or staying in the case for the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Utah Jazz — has the chance to land a star that can alter the trajectory of their franchise. For the skinny on the top 4 prospects:

• AJ Dybantsa — BYU: silky smooth big scoring wing with improved playmaking chops. Possesses the requisite wiggle, athleticism, and shot-making to be a premier go-to scorer.

• Darryn Peterson — Kansas: had a weird year at Kansas, mainly with injuries. However, he has legit star upside on both sides of the floor. He’s a high-volume shooter whose athleticism should pop as he gets healthier. He also stirs a lot of chaos defensively. He has a strong argument for top talent in the entire draft.

• Cameron Boozer — Duke: do-it-all power forward with wicked fast playmaking processing, brute strength, and multi-faceted scoring. Though not the most athletic, winning is synonymous with him.

• Caleb Wilson — North Carolina: elite athlete that leverages his athleticism on both sides of the ball. Can encompass different roles defensively. Has sneaky good playmaking upside, but he’s a non-shooter right now.

Any of these players would do wonders for a Memphis Grizzlies organization turning the page on a previous era. They can be the guy, the face of an organization. An infrastructure is in place for them to thrive. Cedric Coward is a chameleon on the wing who can take on many different roles on both sides of the floor. When healthy — a big if — Zach Edey is a force in the paint. The rest of the roster is still more of a ball of clay, but at the moment there’s steady perimeter defense (Jaylen Wells and Scotty Pippen Jr.), athletic forwards (GG Jackson, Taylor Hendricks, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper), floor-raising veterans (Ty Jerome and Santi Aldama), and a system that yields high-playmaking output from whoever’s running the offense (Jerome, Cam Spencer, Javon Small, and Walter Clayton Jr.).

This week, I’m running a two-part mini-mock series where I run some Tankathon spins and play out the draft with who could be left on the board for Memphis — if the order fell a certain way. Let’s start with the best outcome.

What if the Grizzlies jump into the top 4?

1. Indiana: AJ Dybantsa

2. Washington: Cameron Boozer

3. Brooklyn: Darryn Peterson

4. Memphis: Caleb Wilson

Although Substack’s Jake Fischer from the Stein Line reported that the Pacers are seen as a likely Cam Boozer team, it’s hard to see them passing up on AJ Dybantsa — if awarded the number one pick. Dybantsa with Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Ivica Zubac — along with their supporting cast — gives Indiana a clear runway to return to contention next year.

Washington can go either way here, and how they handle the Anthony Davis situation this summer can influence their pick. Cam Boozer and Alex Sarr are too tantalizing to pass up here.

The Nets land their go-to scoring weapon with Darryn Peterson, a three-level scorer that should give Brooklyn a clear pecking order.

For the Grizzlies, that leaves Caleb Wilson. All year, he’s proven that this is a four-player draft rather than three, as perceived in the preseason. He’s a tenacious big power forward with mind-blowing athleticism. His defensive engagement can waver a bit, but he can encompass many different roles defensively with All-Defense upside. Offensively, he can dunk everything, make solid reads, and hit contested mid-range jumpers, but he’s a non-shooter right now.

When assessing his fit with the Grizzlies, I’d be slightly cautious about how a non-shooting 4 fits with a non-shooting 5 in Zach Edey. However, the defensive upside is too glaring here. Offensively, Wilson’s synergy with Henri Veesaar builds optimism for big-to-big interactions between him and Edey. Due to his offensive portfolio, I see him more as a second option or strong third rather than a go-to guy, something I’m more optimistic about with the top-three.

Nonetheless, Wilson is no consolation prize. He has the requisite size, athleticism, and skills to impact the game on both sides of the floor at a high level.

1. Sacramento: AJ Dybantsa

2. Brooklyn: Cameron Boozer

3. Memphis: Darryn Peterson

Sacramento has been long-rumored as Dybantsa admirers. Brooklyn’s affinity with playmaking at all 5 positions makes them a likely Boozer team.

That leaves Darryn Peterson, a non-brainer pick with how the board shakes out.

Fans may be skeptical about Peterson with how this season at Kansas transpired. I’m not given his talent level. Even while not playing at 100 percent, he showed real two-way capabilities. He can create havoc defensively with his length and anticipation. He’s a ridiculous shooter with the combination of accuracy and volume. His rim pressure was uninspiring, likely a product of his injuries, but he has a history of getting to the free throw line. He can create in the mid-range as well. He needs to show he can be a better playmaker than suggested at Kansas, as it’s the difference between him being a strict 2 or a de facto primary.

At worst, Peterson raises a team’s offensive floor. At best, he’s a full-fledged two-way star from the shooting guard spot. He would give Memphis a full three-level scorer, something Tuomas Iisalo has openly coveted.

1. Indiana: AJ Dybantsa

2. Memphis: Cameron Boozer

See note above about Dybantsa and Pacers.

I’m saving my notes on Cam Boozer for this next pick.

If the Memphis Grizzlies get the number one pick, they cannot go wrong with AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson. A pick has to be made, though, and Boozer is who I’d pick here.

Hopefully, the lottery balls shake out in a way where I can write more extensively about Cam Boozer, his fit with the Grizzlies, and why I have him as the number one prospect in this class. For now, I’ll go with the Spark Notes version.

He’s an elite problem-solver. For a 6’9”, 250-pound forward, he’s far from a post-up merchant. He can operate in any capacity — pick-and-roll as either the screener or handler, isolation, cuts, orchestrating handoffs as the hub or receiver. He can virtually make any read. He can crush the offensive glass. He’s a good shooter with solid volume. You build an offense around this type of talent.

Defensively, he’ll have questions. Can he defend in space? He’s a bit stiff, but he has the basketball IQ and strength to understand angles, cut off drives, and absorb contact. He will need a rim-protecting 5 next to him — hello, Zach Edey.

When assessing the Grizzlies’ next build, Cam Boozer gives them the foundation for the highest level of outcomes. He gives them a clear offensive pecking order and won’t stop the ball either. He, Edey, and Coward give them an insurmountable advantage on the glass. The Grizzlies have the infrastructure with Coward, Edey, and Jaylen Wells to insulate his defensive weaknesses. He’s been a winner at every level. He put together one of the most productive freshman seasons of all time.

He’s largely seen as safe — and perhaps his safeness is a draw, since his lower-level outcomes still yield immense value in high-stakes basketball. Really though, he has an incredibly high ceiling. Players with his size, strength, processing, and creation talent are rare.

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While people may have different preferences, there are no bad outcomes to landing in the top 4. It’d be a massive boost for a Memphis Grizzlies organization looking to embark on a new era.

Comment below who your top 4 are for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA Draft. Stay tuned for part 2.

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