Over the next few days, our writers will be discussing five big questions regarding this season’s Memphis Grizzlies. To start, can they finally draft well?
The Memphis Grizzlies are going to be an interesting team with a lot of question marks. Can *Player X* stay healthy? Can a young player finally break out to help this team? Could the Grizzlies extend their playoff run to eight years?
Those are some of the main questions with the Grizzlies, but here’s an important one:
Can whoever makes the draft picks watch college basketball religiously?
Yes, this question totally relates to the Memphis Grizzlies’ mishaps with first-round picks. Yes, I understand it’s not really a question about the Grizzlies season. However, college basketball is during the Grizzlies season, so the question still applies.
Kentucky and Duke brought in two solid recruiting classes with plenty of mid-first round or back-end lottery talent. Michigan State isn’t a bad place to look as they have two forwards who could potentially fill the Rudy Gay’s void — a problem with this team since 2013. Travel three hours southeast to find a potential fix to the Baldwin mistake by taking a long look at Alabama’s Collin Sexton.
Since 2007, the Memphis Grizzlies have seen two first-round picks play past their rookie contracts: Mike Conley (drafted in 2007) and Darrell Arthur (drafted in 2008). Not to mention, the last first-round picks with the Grizzlies at the end of their rookie deals were the OJ Mayo and Darrell Arthur of the 2008 draft class. Four first-round picks (Xavier Henry, Greivis Vasquez, Tony Wroten and now Wade Baldwin) spent only one season with the team before being let go via trade or release. Not to mention, they had to attach a first-round pick to correct the 2009 mistakes of Hasheem Thabeet and DeMarre Carroll after a year-and-a-half of blah.
That’s not good. Not one good first-round pick since 2008? Can’t hit all them but, you also shouldn’t lose every single one of them.
People say that the Grizzlies are good at finding diamonds in the rough through second-round picks and undrafted players, and I agree. Guys like Dillon Brooks, Wayne Selden and — possibly — Ivan Rabb can round out the next core as glue guys (think Danny Green on the 2014 Spurs championship). However, they need first-round talent as well. If you find “diamonds” there, you can often find a franchise cornerstone.
More from Grizzlies News
- Dillon Brooks speaks out after beating former Grizzlies teammate in World Cup
- Jaren Jackson Jr. puts ex-Grizzlies teammate on notice
- 3 players Grizzlies would consider trading Ja Morant for
- Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. put on blast following FIBA elimination
- Ex-Grizzlies guard signs with title favorite, joins forces with 6-time All-Star
Closing Remarks
Marc Gasol and Mike Conley aren’t going to be elite forever. It’s time to keep tabs on who they can build around for the future. In other words, they need to find players with a more than “role player” or “fringe starter” potential.
No matter whether they’re in the lottery or not, they need to keep this year’s draft pick and pay attention to who’s actually good. They already gave up on Wade Baldwin — their last first-round pick — and Jordan Adams — 2014 first-round pick. The verdict is still out on 2015 first-rounder Jarell Martin.
Can the Memphis Grizzlies finally break the trend of poor drafting and show that there’s some promise for the future?
We’ll find out next June. Until then, watch college basketball and get your hopes up about who they should draft but will eventually pass on.
Related Story: 5 players Grizzlies should've drafted over Baldwin
Follow along on Beale Street Bears for more big Grizzlies questions.