ESPN has Memphis Grizzlies picking Trae Young in mock draft
In ESPN’s most recent NBA mock draft, they have the Memphis Grizzlies drafting college basketball phenom and ESPN darling Trae Young.
The Memphis Grizzlies may not be in the top-three lottery odds, despite only being around a game out. However, even at seventh — where ESPN’s BPI system projects them to fall — they can still nab a top-flight prospect.
That’s right. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Trae Young going to the Memphis Grizzlies. If you’ve actually watched him play all season, you’re ecstatic. If you’ve watched his recent slump, you’re disappointed. Here’s what Givony had to say about the pick:
"Mike Conley is a Memphis cornerstone signed to one of the NBA’s most lucrative contracts, but he is already 30 and has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons. With the Grizzlies’ playoff run ending, they will have to think about entering a rebuilding stage — including drafting for talent rather than need.Young has been mired in a prolonged shooting slump since exploding onto the national radar, but still is a very intriguing fit in today’s NBA with his tremendous passing and scoring ability."
Givony is spot-on with this analysis. The Grizzlies need to draft for talent as opposed to need — even though they have Mike Conley. Even then, they need a future solution for Conley, as his years as a starting point guard are dwindling by the minute.
Despite the recent shooting slump, Trae Young still deserves to be a top-five pick. His shooting and scoring abilities are unbelievable; it’s the closest thing to Steph Curry the basketball world has seen this decade. He might be up there with Ricky Rubio and Lonzo Ball as one of the best passing prospects in the past decade.
What pick means for Grizzlies
Getting a guy like Trae Young would instantly generate more excitement for the Grizzlies’ present and future. For real, when was the last time the Grizzlies actually received a hyped-up star? OJ Mayo? In 2008????!????!
His shooting. His passing. The way teams have to triple-team him to stop him. His 40-point games.
Young has a high ceiling — as he can captivate the NBA like Curry and Steve Nash. He has the ability to be a transcendent talent that can alter the Grizzlies’ trajectory for the next 10-15 years.
However, his floor is backup point guard. He can easily become a Tyus Jones or a Trey Burke — two awesome college players whose size hurt them in the NBA.
Nonetheless, in Memphis, he won’t be thrown into the fire early, because he can play behind Mike Conley. This situation might even be best for him, as he can undergo a smooth transition to the NBA and not receive such a spotlight so quick.
They can’t get cute and draft for “need.” Their only need should be talent.
Next: Trae Young: future franchise savior
If Trae Young is the best prospect on the board, the Memphis Grizzlies need to draft him.