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NBA Draft Lottery: What is the Worst That Could Happen to the Memphis Grizzlies?

By Christian Dudley

CHICAGO - MAY 15: NBA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum makes an announcement during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery at the Palmer House Hotel on May 15, 2018 in Chicago Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO - MAY 15: NBA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum makes an announcement during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery at the Palmer House Hotel on May 15, 2018 in Chicago Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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If things to do not turn in favor of the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery, what is the worst that could happen to them?

The day has finally arrived. The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery is here. Finally, the Memphis Grizzlies will learn the fate of their first-round NBA Draft pick tonight when the lottery tips off at 8:30 PM Eastern Time on ESPN.

For the Grizzlies, it has been a long journey leading up to this point. There were countless ups and downs throughout the 2018-19 NBA season. Even after a dismal 33-49 record, Memphis did not end their schedule knowing exactly what would become of their 2019 first-rounder. Would they keep it or would it convey to the Boston Celtics?

Then there was the end-of-season tie-breaker. In true Memphis Grizzlies fashion, the journey countinued after the tie-breaker ended with the Grizzlies earning the eighth spot. For reference, nine through 14 would have resulted in pick conveyance to Boston.

That leads us to today, May 14th. Once the league selects ping pong balls for all 14 lottery positions, the Draft order will be set in stone. A lot is at stake for NBA teams such as the Memphis Grizzlies, who could desperately use a franchise-altering player such as Zion Williamson or Ja Morant.

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That would obviously be the best-case scenario for Memphis. The most likely result would be for them to retain their eighth spot, thus keeping their first-round pick by the skin of their teeth. Recently, Beale Street Bears analyzed the different scenarios that we could potentially see unfold for the Grizzlies at the NBA Draft Lottery.

With the Memphis Grizzlies, the NBA Draft has been rather dreadful over the years. When Mike Conley — as great as he is, though not an NBA All-Star — is the all-time best product of a Grizzlies Draft pick, the NBA Draft Lottery and the NBA Draft itself should always be a concern. It does not always take the first or second overall pick to secure an All-Star talent, but Memphis has not been successful in this manner with any of their picks. (Note: the verdict is still out on Jaren Jackson Jr.)

In saying this, what is the worst-case scenario for the Memphis Grizzlies today? The answer to this question will be much better than in most years for this franchise. That is regardless of which prospects are available by the time Memphis lands on the Draft Night clock, if they even retain their first-round pick at all.

The direction of the Grizzlies’ Front Office was clear during the season. They wanted to win games, and ultimately play to convey their firstr-round pick to the Celtics. That option is still in play if the ping pong balls do not favor Memphis. While a lot of NBA fans would assume that a team losing their only Draft pick would be a terrible thing — especially while in the thick of a rebuilding effort — that is absolutely not the case for the Grizzlies.

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If anything, conveying the pick is one of the better options for the Memphis Grizzlies. If they convey their 2019 pick, then they will not have to worry about doing so in 2020. The 2020 NBA Draft is already expected to have more depth than 2019’s crop, and that depth could become greater in the coming months. It adds more value to the possession of a 2020 pick, too.

If Memphis misses on a 2019 pick placed between the one and five spots, that is the worst of their worries. Landing in the sixth, seventh, or eighth positions will mean that the top handful of prospects will have been picked over, unless some crazy and unexpected slide takes place for a top name.

Even then, that is not so bad. They could still land a raw talent that would have the potential to become an NBA All-Star. This upcoming NBA Draft has a lot of prospects that could develop into serious scoring threats and playmakers. For the Grizzlies, they could truly use those types of players as they enter the next era of their franchise.

Next. NBA Draft Lottery: This Could Be the Memphis Grizzlies' Big Break. dark

The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery presents an opportunity for the Memphis Grizzlies to play it safe, with a slight chance of hitting it out of the park. This should be music to fans’ ears in Memphis, especially considering their bad luck at this time of the year. If they were to get extremely lucky on Tuesday, it would be the perfect start for their restructured Front Office and impending new head coach.

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