Regardless of who the Grizzlies select at #3, they should still come away as one of the biggest winners of a special 2026 NBA Draft class. There is already plenty of chatter about how great the fit is between Cam Boozer and the Grizzlies. However, the Utah Jazz, who have the #2 pick, hold the keys to not just a possible Boozer and Memphis pairing, but also the entire fate of the Grizzlies' draft night.
Having a top 3 pick in this draft is the gift that a struggling Grizzlies franchise desperately needed. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer all have a convincing case to be selected #1. There is also a chance that Caleb Wilson ends up in the top 3 conversation. The Grizzlies are in a spot where they could come away with a franchise-changing player regardless of the order of the top 3 picks.
Grizzlies fans have plenty to be excited about, but there is one thing they must keep in mind. Whoever the Utah Jazz select at #2 could have big implications for who the Grizzlies end up selecting.
Could the Jazz end up selecting Boozer at #2?
It seems easy to rule out the Jazz selecting Cam Boozer on a surface level due to the depth they have in their frontcourt. But there is a key factor that should be considered. Carlos Boozer, who played six seasons with the Jazz and is the father of Cam Boozer, is also a team scout for the Jazz. It would not be surprising if he had significant input on who the Jazz end up selecting.
While the Jazz frontcourt is already very crowded, it is simply hard to ignore the ties that Cam Boozer already has to the organization. And even though the Jazz likely should be drafting another guard or wing, the possibility remains that they take the best player available approach and see Boozer as the best option at #2.
Truthfully, the way things stand today, the Jazz will more likely than not select whoever is available between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. But it cannot be fully ruled out that they end up selecting Cam Boozer with their pick.
The Grizzlies' draft haul will be heavily influenced by what Utah does
With how well the draft lottery went, it seems rather clear that the Grizzlies will come away with a potential franchise cornerstone. Whether it is AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, or Cam Boozer, Grizzlies fans will be thrilled. However, the Grizzlies also still have a significant opportunity to get a quality player at the 16th overall pick.
Depending on who the pick is at #2 for the Jazz, the Grizzlies will not just have their third overall pick affected, but it will certainly impact their decision at #16. Pretty much every position is in play at #16, and it cannot exactly be ruled out that the Grizzlies attempt to trade up. The concern should not be about landing a good player at #3 or not, but about the positions the Grizzlies consider later in the draft.
This could end up being one of the best days in franchise history for the Grizzlies; however, it is not being talked about enough how much the Jazz control the team's draft fate.
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