Memphis Grizzlies: Grading every draft pick currently on the roster

The Memphis Grizzlies have some of the best young franchise players in the league

It’s important to remember that these players may receive lower grades, but that does not mean that they have been worse performers. They are simply held to a higher standard because of the expectations given to them being drafted as early as they were.

Jaren Jackson Jr. (2018, Round 1, Pick 4): The former Michigan State Spartan is a key part of the Grizzlies’ future. Had Morant not come around, the young forward would be looked at as the Grizzlies’ next top player. That said, Memphis will look to the long forward to become an NBA All-Star in the future.

Having been injured for the entirety of the 2020-21 season, we haven’t been able to see if he would take the next step. That said, he has been nothing short of excellent so far in a Grizzlies uniform. The only issue with Jackson Jr. is that he has been unable to stay out of foul trouble so far.

Grade: B+

Ja Morant (2019, Round 1, Pick 2): Ja Morant is the Memphis Grizzly of the future. When anybody thinks of this team, he’s the guy who comes to mind. He was drafted with the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. There’s no other way to describe him — he’s a superstar.

But this superstar is only 21 years old and has a handful of areas of improvement to look at. Most worrisome, his 3-point shooting has been awful throughout the 2020-21 season. His long-range shooting percentage has inexplicably dropped by over 10%. Hopefully, this will improve when his co-star in Jaren Jackson Jr. returns.

Other than that, he’s been an elite player. If not for the 3-point shooting hiccup, he may have even seen his first NBA All-Star appearance.

Grade: A-