Western Conference contender 'aggressively' attempting to trade up in NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA Draft is expected to be a lively night filled with trades, and the Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly interested in joining the fray.

The Grizzlies own the 25th pick, and according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, they're "aggressively" pursuing trades to jump to the end of the lottery or middle of the first round. 

While Ja Morant faces suspension for brandishing a gun on Instagram Live for the second time last season, Tyus Jones will likely assume point guard duties in his absence. It's far more likely Memphis aims to move up the board to select a wing player in light of small forward Dillon Brooks' imminent departure in free agency. 

With their first-round pick, Givony has the Grizzlies selecting Santa Clara shooting guard Brandin Podziemski, the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year last season. Should they sneak into the lottery, the Grizzlies might be able to land Kansas swingman Gradey Dick, the projected 11th pick in ESPN's latest mock draft.

Despite the interest in making a deal, it'll be interesting to see which assets Memphis would have to part with to pull off a trade for a lottery selection.

Along with the 25th pick, the Grizzlies hold the Nos. 45 and 56 overall selections in next week's draft, but also have two 2024 first-rounders that are tradeable. When it comes to players that could be included in a deal, Memphis has names such as Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama or David Roddy that teams might be interested in.

If Memphis ultimately fails to trade up, Givony's pick of Podziemski would be the most sensible selection at 25. The 20-year-old was third in the WCC in scoring as a sophomore (19.9 points per game) and shot 43.8% from behind the arc. At 6-foot-5, he has an ideal frame for a small-ball lineup alongside Jones and Desmond Bane. 

Memphis finished second in the Western Conference last season (51-31) but fell to the Lakers in six games during the first round of the playoffs. The NBA has not announced how long Morant's suspension will last, but it will surely be significantly longer than the eight-game ban he received in March.

Although it'll be difficult for Memphis to replace Morant's 26.2 points per game, drafting a player like Dick or Podziemski would be a solid first step. 

The 2023 NBA Draft, hosted at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, is scheduled for June 22.