MEMPHIS – The Grizzlies enter Thursday night’s NBA Draft confident there will be a franchise-altering talent available when they select fourth overall, but are also sorting through multiple attractive trade packages that could entice them to deal the pick.
Both ESPN and Yahoo reported late Wednesday that Memphis is aggressively shopping the No. 4 overall pick, and Grind City Media has independently confirmed from league sources that at least three lottery teams selecting after the Grizzlies are pushing to move up to fourth.
Among teams most linked to trade discussions this week have been the Mavericks (No. 5), Orlando (No. 6), Chicago (No. 7, 22) and the Clippers (No. 12, 13). The Knicks reportedly also intensified efforts to package the No. 9 pick to move into the top six, and were contemplating an offer to the Grizzlies.
As of midday Thursday, the Grizzlies seemed comfortable with keeping both the fourth and No. 32 picks. With Arizona center Deandre Ayton expected to be drafted first by Phoenix, the Memphis front-office staff knows that either Duke’s Marvin Bagley, Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr. or Real Madrid’s Luka Doncic will be left on the board when the Grizzlies are on the clock around 7 p.m. Thursday.
“The craziest outcome is not based on your own indecision,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said as team executives finalized draft night preparations. “You have that worked out going into the room. It’s that you don’t really know for certain all the deals that will come your way. You flesh out as many of them as you can, but teams … will come up with their best deal when they know it’s do or die time (on the clock). So there will be a great deal of activity at the end.”
The Grizzlies have made draft night trades 13 of the past 17 years, including each of the past five. Ten years ago, Memphis shook up the lottery by picking Kevin Love fifth and then trading him to Minnesota for O.J. Mayo, who was selected third. Mayo finished second to Derrick Rose for Rookie of the Year and was a key piece on a team two years later that started a streak of seven straight playoff appearances.
That postseason run for the Grizzlies ended with last season’s dismal 22-60 finish. The team’s clearly-stated goal is to rebound quickly and return to the postseason with veteran catalysts Marc Gasol, 33, and Mike Conley, 30, in the midst of max salary contracts.
Last week, in a rare interview on The Chris Vernon Show, controlling owner Robert Pera said he believes last season’s struggles were largely the result of injuries that knocked the team off course a month into the schedule. Conley was sidelined after 12 games and underwent season-ending Achilles’ heel surgery.
“Assuming Marc and Mike come back healthy, I (also) think we have a couple of surrounding pieces that are young players who are going to make a positive impact,” Pera said. “And we’ll get another good player in this draft. I see no reason why we can’t be a 50-plus win team.”
The Grizzlies posted the second-worst record in the league, but slipped two spots to No. 4 on the draft board after the May 15 Lottery in Chicago. For weeks, Wallace has maintained the Grizzlies would explore the trade market in an effort to maximize the return on the pick.
Whether they stayed at No. 4 or dealt to move down in the lottery – via packages that would also shed unwanted salary or acquire veteran help – the goal was to boost an offense that ranked at or near the bottom of the league in multiple categories.
To that end, the Grizzlies biggest needs are for a scoring small forward or power forward. The Grizzlies believe both Bagley, who averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Doncic, the playmaking EuroLeague MVP, project to meet those needs at the NBA level.
But there is also a strong sentiment in Memphis that Jackson could be the most complete talent and best available player on the board when the fourth pick arrives. A willingness to trade down could also put the Grizzlies in range to maintain quality and target Duke’s Wendell Carter Jr., who worked out in Memphis two weeks ago and said Wednesday in New York he was impressed by the city and organization.
While both Bagley and Jackson were among the highly-rated draft prospects to bypass an opportunity to work out in Memphis, both said Wednesday they would welcome any landing spot in the top five.
“It’s always been my dream to get here,” Bagley said of draft night. “And to get here and nitpick where you’re going to go and all of that stuff, it’s not me. Knowing where I came from and knowing what I went through to get to this point, I’ll be happy to get drafted anywhere. That’s how I see it. Whatever I’m going and wherever I’m going, I’m going to put my all into it.”
Regardless of the direction they take, the Grizzlies are digging in for a busy and productive draft night.
“Teams are calling up during that five minutes you’re on the clock and trying to pitch deals to you – it’s a little like you’re seeing the commodities market in Chicago or the stock market in New York,” Wallace said. “But at this point, most of your (draft player) evaluation is done. What I want to walk away with if we exercise the picks at No. 4 and No. 32 are two quality players that we’re excited about and that are going to be a big part of our future.”
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Memphis Grizzlies. All opinions expressed by Michael Wallace are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Memphis Grizzlies or its Basketball Operations staff, owners, parent companies, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Memphis Grizzlies and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.