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

Exciting point guards that aren’t facilitators

Ultimately, the point here is to find playmakers in the second round who make their team better. That criteria will leave some talented scoring point guards on the sidelines, but it’s worthwhile to point out who those prospects might be.

There’s certainly an argument that these three scorers could help in Memphis. I don’t disagree with that in the slightest. I’m just hesitant to categorize them as shot creators for anyone other than themselves. But make no mistake, these three point guards can score it with the best of them. There’s also a chance these players could go undrafted and become two-way contracts for the Grizzlies.

The first is Charleston’s Grant Riller. Riller will be drafted because of his ability to score at all three levels. He averaged 21.9 points per game each of his last two seasons and finished his career as the second-leading scorer in Colonial Athletic Conference history. He’s great as a scorer in the pick-and-roll both getting to the rim where he’s very creative and pulling up for a mid-range jumper. His 3-point shooting could see some improvement, but he can’t be left alone and will be even scarier if he turns his 36 percent clip into a 39-40 percent.

Saint Mary’s Jordan Ford falls into almost the exact same camp as Riller, but he’s a much better 3-point shooter. He averaged 21.9 points in 2019-20 while shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and 41 percent from deep. He has a lethal pull-up jumper and doesn’t shy away from contact despite his 175-pound frame. You could count on at least 20 points almost every night last season and he had six games of 30-plus points as a senior. Like Riller, his playmaking numbers aren’t good for the amount of time he had the ball in his hands, but he’s a walking bucket.

And finally, Markus Howard, the leading scorer in Big East history. Howard averaged 27.8 points per game as a senior at Marquette and was named an AP First Team All-American. He shot 41 percent from deep despite taking more than 10 per game. You’ll be hard pressed to find a player with better balance, footwork and ball handling which makes Howard more of an all-around scorer than you’d expect.

Having gone to a Big East school the same four years that Howard did, I got a really good look at him and I’m a big fan of what Howard can bring to an NBA team. Anyone who shoots the ball like him has value in this league, but the next three players on this list have more value considering the Grizzlies current situation.