2022 NBA Draft: How the national media graded the Memphis Grizzlies

How the national media graded the Memphis Grizzlies 2022 NBA Draft haul

After a frenetic 2022 NBA Draft, the national media has taken stock and inventory of which players ended up with which teams. The Memphis Grizzlies appear to have the national media split in whether or not they had a good draft.

The Memphis Grizzlies appeared on several national columnists’ and writers’ “Winners and Losers” lists, but there’s no real consensus as to how the team fared with their four-player haul of Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, Kennedy Chandler, and Vince Williams.

The team was listed as “winners” by a few writers, “losers” by several more, and even got a middle-of-the-road grade from one Insider.

Taking into consideration where a player was picked, how he fits in with his new team and what his current skill level is are all line items to consider when grading a team’s class.

Let’s dive in to what some of the experts had to say about the Memphis Grizzlies and their 2022 NBA Draft grade.

Winner

Jeff Zillgitt and Matt Eppers, USA Today

Longtime NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt really liked what the Memphis Grizzlies did, placing the team in his “winners” category.

"The Grizzlies continued their recent trend of aggressive draft night moves, trading up to acquire Wake Forest’s Jake LaRavia at No. 19 and Colorado State’s David Roddy at No. 23, and sending the No. 22 and 29 picks to the Timberwolves. LaRavia has the potential to be an ideal stretch big man who can help boost the Grizzlies’ below-average 3-point shooting, and Roddy has the defensive versatility to play on the wing and in the post. Both fit the mold of productive college players under the radar who have found success in Memphis."

Winner

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation

Basketball Editor Ricky O’Donnell is one of many who has complete faith in Grizzlies GM Kach Kleiman, and placed Memphis in his “winners” category.

"The Grizzlies have earned more trust for their draft day decisions than any front office in the league. That’s what happens when you find Desmond Bane at No. 30 overall a few years ago, and Brandon Clarke in the 20s.Memphis came away with Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and Vince Williams. LaRavia and Roddy are big bodies with versatile skill sets, while Williams was one of the analytical darlings of this class for his shooting touch, scoring efficiency, playmaking, and ability to force takeaways on defense. The Grizzlies know what they’re doing on draft night, as always."

Loser

Sam Quinn, CBS Sports

Basketball writer Sam Quinn was one of several writers that did not like the Memphis Grizzlies trading De’Anthony Melton away on draft night.

"Criticizing the Grizzlies for the actual players they selected is a fool’s errand. Their draft record is virtually impeccable during the Zach Kleiman era. Where the Grizzlies faltered was in their desire to move Melton, predictable though it was. The Grizzlies have a glut of wings. Melton, Dillon Brooks, Desmond Bane and Ziaire Williams are all competing for the same minutes, and the Grizzlies ultimately decided to break up the logjam before it became an issue by dealing Melton. There are a few problems with that logic."

Read more of his analysis here.

Loser

Krysten Peek, Yahoo Sports

NBA Draft Analyst Krysten Peek was not a fan of the moves made by the Grizzlies in this year’s draft, placing them on her list of “losers” this year.

"The Grizzlies already have an established, playoff team led by Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. On Thursday, they drafted Wake Forest wing Jake LaRavia with the 19th pick and Colorado State forward David Roddy at No. 23. Roddy struggled at times during 5-on-5 play at the NBA draft combine, and LaRavia is a solid role player.The Grizzlies passed on young players like TyTy Washington and Wesley. LaRavia and Roddy project to be OK secondary role players, but they are very uninspiring picks."

Loser

Brian Lewis, New York Post

Brooklyn Nets and NBA reporter for the New York Post thought the Grizzlies have made a mistake by trading De’Anthony Melton away.

"In a wing league, Memphis was not only enviably deep, but actually had a glut of wings. They traded away Melton to Philadelphia for the No. 23 pick, taking David Roddy alongside No. 19 Jake LaRavia. They’ve drafted well under Zach Kleiman, but why give up a solid defender and legitimate piece for a couple of limited-upside rookies who could be hard-pressed to crack this rotation? For a team this young, experience should be a priority."

Inconclusive

Jeff Borzello, ESPN

NBA Insider Jeff Borzello was fairly blunt and to the point. “I don’t think there were any bad drafts, but the Thunder and Grizzlies raised some eyebrows with their first-round moves,” he wrote.

"As for the Grizzlies, both David Roddy and Jake LaRavia will be able to contribute thanks to their shooting and versatility, but both players felt a little early. Roddy didn’t have a great combine and it’s unclear how effective he’ll be defensively. LaRavia had a fantastic season at Wake Forest, but trading Nos. 22 and 29 to move up three spots for him was a surprise. Kennedy Chandler in the second round was a great value pick, though."