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Memphis Grizzlies: 4 point guards to target in the 2020 NBA Draft

By Josh Mullenix

CORVALLIS, OREGON - FEBRUARY 08: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks drives to the basket while guarded by Ethan Thompson #5 of the Oregon State Beavers during the second half at Gill Coliseum on February 08, 2020 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
CORVALLIS, OREGON - FEBRUARY 08: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks drives to the basket while guarded by Ethan Thompson #5 of the Oregon State Beavers during the second half at Gill Coliseum on February 08, 2020 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) /
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EUGENE, OREGON – MARCH 07: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks drives to the basket on Tyrell Terry #3 of the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Matthew Knight Arena on March 07, 2020 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
EUGENE, OREGON – MARCH 07: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks drives to the basket on Tyrell Terry #3 of the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Matthew Knight Arena on March 07, 2020 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

The Memphis Grizzlies have the 40th overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft, and could go in a number of directions.

If the NBA bubble in Orlando, Fla., taught the Memphis Grizzlies anything, it’s that their point guard depth can improve.

Of course, that doesn’t mean what the Grizzlies have on their roster isn’t adequate. That would be disrespectful to the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant, and one of the more consistent backups in the league, Tyus Jones, who has an invaluable effect on head coach Taylor Jenkins’ second unit.

But what happens if Jones goes down and the backup point guard duties have to be passed on to someone else in his absence? The bubble answered that question and the results were not pretty. That situation forced other reserves — mainly De’Anthony Melton — to step in and run the second unit, a position that nobody seemed comfortable with.

From Jan. 12 to March 3, Melton averaged 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 42 percent from the field. Solid numbers for a bench player.

In the eight regular season games in the bubble when Jones was injured, Melton averaged just 4.4 points, 2.3 assists while shooting 27 percent from the field and 13 percent from beyond the arc.

The change in production is undeniable, and while it’s reasonable to suggest there was rust after the long break, Melton being asked to run the second unit has an obvious impact.

Some of Melton’s struggles were masked by Grayson Allen’s 13.6 points per game and 48 percent from 3-point range in the bubble. Rookie forward Brandon Clarke continued his efficient play as well, but Melton was the main bench piece taken out of his normal role.

All this to say, the Grizzlies could use another facilitator on the roster that can step in and run the second unit in case Jones goes down again, allowing other bench producers to maintain their role on the team.

The 2020 NBA Draft class has a few point guards that fit the description. There are a handful of veteran college guards that are draft prospects because of their ability to run a team. It might not be a player worth drafting at No. 40, but there are certainly back-end-of-the-draft ball handlers that can solidify the point guard position should either Morant or Jones go down.

The following four guards have two things in common: they are all multi-year college guards and they are all first or second team All-Americans from the 2019-20 college basketball season.

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