Memphis Grizzlies 2024 NBA Draft Preview

The NBA Draft is almost here. The Memphis Grizzlies have a variety of directions in which they can. What's their ultimate path for the next two days?

Jun 26, 2024

The NBA Draft is roughly 24 hours away. The time between the end of the season and the draft has felt so long, especially with the Memphis Grizzlies missing the playoffs after a season of injury hell. The basketball gods didn’t let up, as the Grizzlies fell two spots from their lottery odds to earn the 9th pick.

Even though the lottery dive was initially disappointing, there’s still a pathway for the Grizzlies to land a productive player that could complement this core — and perhaps as soon as next season.

Let’s break down what’s all out there.

What we know

Intel is flying around — we have to decipher what’s real, smoke, and just float-out not true. Let’s break down the certainties and the Grizzlies-centric intel.

The Grizzlies have picks 9, 39, and 58 (for now).
There’s a glaring need at the center position. Whether they use it with the 9th pick, a trade, or free agency is the only question we have.
The Grizzlies have Luke Kennard’s $14.7M team option to decide on by Friday, and it could potentially be used as a trade chip.
The Grizzlies have been linked to Donovan Clingan just about anywhere as a “trade-up target.” — ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, and The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor have had reports on it.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that the Grizzlies are looking at deals with 9 for win-now help.
Per ESPN, the Grizzlies have rumored interest in Tristan Da Silva and Johnny Furphy as well.
In the latest ESPN mock draft, Jeremy Woo said the following: “The Grizzlies also are said to be exploring opportunities to trade back from this spot, making this an interesting swing pick in the shape of the lottery. Other options for Memphis if it stays at this pick include Topic and Devin Carter.”
The Grizzlies are rumored to really like this draft, according to ESPN’s Jonathon Givony, which leads to speculation about trading down.
The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported that Memphis, Portland, and Charlotte that are aggressive about trading with Houston up to 3, as all 3 teams have their sights set on Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard. Iko also mentioned Rockets GM Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of Marcus Smart. The Smart/9 for 3 rumors intensified when Marc Stein reported the following:
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor today said that the Grizzlies have not, and will not, offer Smart to move up to 3.
On non-draft notes, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto reported the Grizzlies’ interest in Day’Ron Sharpe and Dorian Finney-Smith.
On the ESPN NBA Draft Preview show, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Grizzlies and Bulls are two teams to watch for when it comes to trading up for Donovan Clingan.
Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported Memphis and Portland as two teams interested in trading up for Clingan. In addition, if Memphis ends up trading down from 9, then Miami at 15 is a team to watch for.

Who’s worked out in Memphis?

The Grizzlies usually keep their workout schedule pretty quiet, but some news gets out there one way or another. From the Hoops Hype workout tracker:

Mock Draft Roundup

9th pick

ESPN: Cody Williams
The Athletic: Donovan Clingan (traded up to 5th)
The Ringer: Ron Holland
NBA Big Board: Donovan Clingan
Yahoo Sports: Dalton Knecht
Tankathon: Dalton Knecht
Bleacher Report: Ron Holland
No Ceilings: Rob Dillingham
CBS Sports (Gary Parrish): Devin Carter

39th pick

ESPN: Jaylen Wells
The Athletic: Nikola Djurisic
The Ringer: Jaylon Tyson
NBA Big Board: Oso Ighodaro
Yahoo Sports: Jonathan Mogbo
Tankathon: Adem Bona
Bleacher Report: Keshad Johnson
No Ceilings: Nikola Djurisic

57th pick

ESPN: Enrique Freeman
The Athletic: Ariel Hukporti
The Ringer: Ajay Mitchell
NBA Big Board: Judah Mintz
Yahoo Sports: Trey Alexander
Tankathon: Antonio Reeves
Bleacher Report: Isaac Jones
No Ceilings: Isaiah Crawford

Prospect Profiles

I’ve done a NBA Draft Guide with my top-60 board with single-page scouting reports on each prospect. I really appreciate the support received from the initial X post.

Draft Guide

I also wrote several player profiles on intriguing prospects and their potential fit with the Memphis Grizzlies to add in more film.

My Grizz-centric board

I’ve said a lot about player skillsets in my draft guide, so I’ll focus on the why in the Grizzlies’ view. I break down my board based off certain segments of the draft.

Top 5 (trade up or 9)

Donovan Clingan. The two-time National Champion would shore up a huge need at center. Clingan and Jaren Jackson Jr. would quickly become one of the league’s best defensive frontcourts. In addition, his screening, passing, and offensive rebound would fit in this team’s system.
Reed Sheppard. Sheppard is the best shooting prospect since Steph Curry, and the Grizzlies were 29th in 3-point shooting last season. He’ll have defensive problems with his size, but his event creation is sneakily great. He could be a seamless fit next to either Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, or Marcus Smart.
Ron Holland. Would Ron Holland be ready day one? Probably not, but it wouldn’t shock me if his NBA readiness was better than people are expected. He needs a reliable jumper to fit on this team, but his defensive tenacity and slashing at his size could be devastating down the road. It might be difficult to pass on him at 9, given his potential and h
Zach Edey. If the Grizzlies stayed at 9 and want immediate contributions, Edey should be the guy. He fills a need at center. I worried about his transition due to the amount of touches and foul line trips he had in college, but he should bode well scaling down to more of a rebounding and screening role.
Devin Carter. Carter’s fit is a bit murkier than the others on here, but he’s a tenacious player that plays bigger than his size. He’s an elite rebounder and shot-blocker for his size. He can defend multiple positions, and he’s also developed the 3-ball. He’s an absolute dawg that checks a lot of boxes for the Grizzlies.

Centers

Clingan.
Edey.
Yves Missi. Missi is a raw prospect, and the Grizzlies would need a veteran big man to ease his development. His size and motor pop off the page, as he profiles as an electric rim-runner.
DaRon Holmes. Holmes isn’t the most athletic or most explosive, but he has a knack for making winning plays on both sides of the ball. He’s not a pure 5, but he could seamlessly fit next to either Jaren Jackson Jr. or Brandon Clarke.
Kyle Filipowski. If the Grizzlies want to go 5-out, or need an eventual Santi Aldama extension insurance policy later in the 1st round, Filipowski fits the mold. Though he has defensive questions, he might be the most skilled big man in the draft with his ability to pass, stretch the floor, and put the ball on the deck.

Trade down from 9, or up from 39

Tristan Da Silva. When it comes to playoff-ready rotation players in this class, Da Silva might fit the bill the most, as he’s a potent off-ball player as a shooter and cutter — while possessing good passing chops. He’s an interchangeable wing that would thrive in the Grizzlies’ system.
Baylor Scheierman. There aren’t many role players with Scheierman’s combination of shooting, playmaking, and rebounding . He can step in at either the 3 or the 4 — spacing the floor, while adding to committee rebounding in lineups when Jaren is playing the 5.
Filipowski.
Ja’Kobe Walter. I’m not the highest on Walter, because his 3-and-D indicators are rather subpar. However, he’d be a good flier from the guard/wing spot, as he’s a good movement shooter with a phenomenal wingspan.
Johnny Furphy. Furphy may be a year or two from physically handling regular minutes. I’d prefer Furphy in a situation where the Grizzlies already use 9 (or higher in a trade-up) on a more ready player.

Second round

Jalen Bridges. Bridges is a big wing that can shoot and rebound. You can never have too many of those players in today’s NBA.
Oso Ighodaro. Ighodaro is an intelligent big man that’s a wicked passer but a non-shooter. If the Grizzlies roll with a veteran center, he’d be a good target as the 5th big.
Jonathan Mogbo. Mogbo is a fascinating player as a 6’7” non-shooting big that can initiate the offense and make insane reads. He can switch in space too. Imagine taking the “Xavier Tillman” role and making it more athletic.
Isaiah Crawford. Crawford would be a first-round talent if he didn’t tear his ACL twice in the same knee. He shot 40% from 3 and averaged nearly 4 stocks a game last year. He hits a lot of Grizzlies’ indicators, so he could be a target to prioritize on a two-way in the second round.
Jaylen Wells. Wells is 6’7” wing that shot 42% from three-point range. He’d be a solid shooting flier, as he showcased deep range at Washington State.

Two-way

Adem Bona. Bona would provide a nice jolt of physicality and energy from a two-way spot, a good target if the Grizzlies don’t bring back Trey Jemison.
Cam Spencer. Spencer’s size may hold him back, but his competitiveness, shooting, and playmaking are outstanding. He’s the “ultimate competitor,” as Taylor Jenkins describes players.
Antonio Reeves. Reeves is a great shooter that can also make reads and get to his floater when run off the line. The defense is pretty spotty, but he would be a nice, cheap resource of shooting depth.
Trentyn Flowers. If the Grizzlies wanted to take a developmental path with a two-way contract, Flowers would be worthy of a flier. He’s a big perimeter player with a promising jumper and booming athleticism. Never hurts to have size, athleticism, and shooting to develop on the wings.
Anton Watson. Watson isn’t flashy, but he’s a steady forward that contributes to winning in so many ways. If the jumper comes around, he could be a deep depth piece that can step in and contribute when absolutely needed.

Predictions

Let’s make 5 predictions on the Grizzlies’ draft.

The Grizzlies will trade Ziaire Williams. It may not directly involve a draft pick, but it seems like Williams could be on the move. GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., and even Jake LaRavia have surpassed him in the rotation. Williams’ contract has jumped from roughly $4M to a hair over $6M. The Grizzlies could shop him to a team that could get a flier on him this year before making a decision on his potential restricted free agency.
The Grizzlies will use a second-round pick on Isaiah Crawford. Crawford checks a lot of boxes for Memphis — he’s in Shawn Coleman’s “Grizz Guys” column as well. He may not be a 15-man roster guy right away, but he can continue refining his 3-and-D game in the G League before becoming the Grizzlies’ next value contract.
The Grizzlies will trade into the 1st round and grab Baylor Scheierman. With the Grizzlies in the luxury tax, cost-controlled players are key. Scheierman will be 24 years old on draft night, but he should be an immediate contributor because of how well he shoots and rebounds for a 6’8” forward. The Grizzlies need more shooting, and if they want to deploy Jaren Jackson Jr. at the 5 more frequently, rebounding is key too. With that said, Scheierman would be an awesome pick if the Grizzlies got another pick late into the first round.
If the Grizzlies can’t move up or down the board, they take Zach Edey at 9. The Grizzlies have a need at the starting center spot. If Donovan Clingan is off the board, then they could go with Edey. The board is flat enough where the “best player available” at 9 would be quite blurry to figure out. At 9, Edey has the potential to be a day-one starter that impacts the game with his rebounding, screening, size, and finishing.
(I can’t do 4B, but…) If the Grizzlies move from 9, it’s up to 5 or 6 to get Donovan Clingan. I’ve been on record throughout the cycle of the Grizzlies getting Donovan Clingan. He fits the “Steven Adams” bill so well, and has an intriguing two-way skillset as a 7’2” big man. He impacts winning as a rim protector, rebounder, passer, and screener. Now what will it take? I’m keeping an eye on Detroit — a 9 and 39 for 5 and 53 pick swap seems doable. However, if it takes 9 and a lottery-protected 2025 1st-round pick (conveys to 2 seconds if the Grizzlies keep it), then they should do it. The Grizzlies, hopefully, won’t be in this situation again with a fully healthy roster. If there’s a guy they want, then they shouldn’t let the board just work itself out at 9. At the end of the day, I’d rather have Clingan than (hypothetically) Cody Williams and the 28th pick next year. They would still have picks from 2027-2031 to trade if needed. If Clingan doesn’t go 1st, it seems likely he drops out of the top-4. In that instance, we could see the Grizzlies be aggressive to get their guy.

It’s been a long season. Hopefully, the draft sets the runway for an exciting bounce-back campaign for the Memphis Grizzlies.

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