2026 NBA Draft Needs: Memphis Grizzlies

On December 21, 2022, Grizzlies franchise star Ja Morant was interviewed by Malika Andrews and, in response to being asked which teams were a concern for a playoff run, said, “the Celtics… I’m fine in the West.” Morant is the only member of that core 2022 group left, and the Grizzlies haven’t made it past the second round. Jaren Jackson Jr. is in Utah, Steven Adams in Houston, Desmond Bane in Orlando, and Dillon Brooks in Phoenix. Now second-year head coach Tuomas Iisalo and Morant are at odds, and the franchise lacks direction. Luckily, they have the third overall pick.

State of the Team

Rebuilding: looking for an identity

Positional Strengths and Weaknesses

Guards:

The Grizzlies guard corps is Ja Morant, Walter Clayton Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ty Jerome, and Cam Spencer.

Morant has publicly mentioned the rift that has grown between himself and the organization. He is still an ultra-athletic, ultra-shifty guard with highlight potential every time the ball touches his fingertips. That’s before mentioning his gravity and playmaking. But his efficiency has always played jump rope between consistent offensive generation and inefficient volume creation. Injuries have limited him to 79 games over the past three years, further hurting his value. Either a trade or a tightening of the shot diet belt is in Morant’s future. 

Walter Clayton came back in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. He’s entering his second year and did start in the last stretch of the season but needs to improve his shot selection and take fewer contested, low-percentage shots. KCP, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, is typically a reliable floor-spacing guard with defensive upside, but at 32, regression is catching up with him. Ty Jerome was a bright spot as a secondary starter but struggled with injuries that limited him to 15 games. Cam Spencer stepped up this past season, starting 20 games, but his future is on the bench as an efficient second unit shot maker.

Wings/Forwards:

The Grizzlies wing and forward corps is Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson II, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Taylor Hendricks.

Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells were great offensive engines and shot makers for the Grizzlies this past year. Both are 22 and, in time, could slot into the starting lineup: Wells at shooting guard and Coward at small forward. Coward, in addition to his scoring, has been a lengthy defensive presence on a defensively poor team. 

GG Jackson II is starting to come into his own as a spot-up shooter and cutter. He might claim the power forward spot. He’s only 21, in his third year, and should continue his slow and steady development. Olivier-Maxence Prosper is a question mark. After being waived by the Mavericks, Prosper was picked up by the Grizzlies and played 53 games, starting 24. Whether this past year was a flash in the pan for the 23-year-old or a genuine challenge to GG Jackson for the starting power forward spot remains to be seen. 

Taylor Hendricks, the other Jazz player who came back in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, had his minutes and shots increased in Memphis. At 22, he could be more, but right now he’s a defensive rotation piece who doesn’t take bad shots.

Bigs:

The Grizzlies big corps is Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, and Taj Gibson

Zach Edey is a top-ten defensive anchor in the league. However, after left ankle surgery, he re-injured his ankle just 11 games into the season. His mobility was never the selling point of his game, but the Grizzlies can only hope this was just a sophomore slump, a hiccup, and that his junior year will see him tap back into the paint guardian he was as a rookie. 

Five-year veteran Santi Aldama has mostly played power forward in his career. However, after the trade of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale at the deadline this past year, the Grizzlies were left with the 7-foot Aldama as a backup. He scored and defended capably, but if Edey goes down, it’s unclear how well he would handle being the primary rim protector. If not Aldama, the 41-year-old Taj Gibson can fill in. But he’s in the last year of his deal. Gibson is far removed from his prime but can clock in for his shift and provide a veteran baseline as a third big.

Draft Needs:

The Grizzlies are an incredibly young team. Most veterans have been traded for picks or young project players. The hope for the Grizzlies is to lean into the youth movement and focus on swinging the ball and spreading out the offensive and defensive load. While they have moved away from a helio-centric offense à la Ja Morant, they still need to draft smart players that process quickly, can make the extra pass, and keep the offense and defense flowing.

Prospects Who Fit:

Cam Boozer (PF/Forward, Duke)

Despite the logjam at the small forward and power forward spots, Cam Boozer is the exact type of cerebral player the Grizzlies are favoring. At 6-foot-8, 253 pounds, with a 7-foot-1½-inch wingspan, Boozer is mechanically polished with smooth, practiced footwork. During his time at Duke, he highlighted his efficient volume scoring (22.5 points on 65.3% true shooting) and passing (4.1 assists against 2.5 turnovers), a rarity for a large forward. He isn’t an athletic freak, which limits his ceiling on the defensive side of the ball, but that ceiling rarely stops him. His hands, arms, and positioning constantly threaten passes and shots in his vicinity.

Most of the Grizzlies’ players are still coming into their own, and while drafting another forward would take reps away and hamper the development of others, Boozer is the type of talent that can’t be ignored. With Edey, GG Jackson, and Coward, the Grizzlies have a solid defensive backbone. Boozer adds an instinctual aspect with well-timed help defense. Offensively, Boozer could take on the primary scoring role despite being 19 years old. His feel for the game is a prerequisite for the type of offense head coach Tuomas Iisalo wants to run. With Jerome and Clayton feeding him the ball and Coward and Wells stretching and cutting around him, Boozer’s gravity can keep everyone in orbit.

By selecting Boozer, the Grizzlies are passing on several prospects with higher ceilings. However, having such a developed game at his age makes Boozer the highest-floor player in the draft. Sometimes, athletic ability overshadows basketball ability, and teams look at prospects with rose-tinted glasses. Sometimes, a stat line of 22.5 points, 4.1 assists, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals a night from a freshman is the biggest indicator of a long, productive career. There’s nothing to say he can’t be the best player from this year’s draft.

Labaron Philon Jr. (PG/Guard, Alabama)

The Grizzlies could trade up from pick 16 or, if they are lucky, will stop the fall of sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. out of Alabama. At 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, with a 6-foot-6 wingspan, Philon needs to add muscle to be effective at the next level. However, once he does, his college production, pestering defense, and scheme fit make him ideal for the Grizzlies.

Philon had a promising but rocky freshman year at Alabama. His high school three-ball didn’t seem to transfer to college, as he shot just 31.5% on 3.4 attempts per game. In his sophomore year, he showed the world that was just bad luck. Philon’s usage jumped from 20.9% to 30%, and instead of suffering a drop in efficiency, he got more efficient, passed the ball more, and fought harder on defense. His three-ball returned with a vengeance, shooting 39.9% on 6.2 attempts per game. His true shooting leapt from 54.9% to 62.6% while producing in volume with 22 points and 5 assists per game.

Despite his offense seeming unstoppable, it’s how Philon generated his offense that could be a concern. He’s not the flying, vertical athlete Ja Morant is. Philon wins with finesse and twitchy footwork. Top NBA defenders with thousands of reps against the shiftiest players in the world will minimize Philon. However, for a Grizzlies team looking to emphasize team play, Philon’s offense should mesh well. Players like Wells, Coward, and Boozer, if he’s selected, will draw the defense’s attention, letting Philon play his game unharassed.

Philon doesn’t have the build to switch onto wings and could get hunted by bigger scorers, but his motor and effort are there. He is a pest who averaged 1.2 steals a game and has shown a willingness to put his body on the line. He can’t absorb contact as a defender yet, but with added muscle, his defensive ceiling could improve drastically. Whether he can maintain his mobility and springy athleticism remains an open question. Philon is one of those players with one big flaw in their game that holds them back. He can’t replace what Ja brought, but he can supply what Ja couldn’t.