Finishing 25-57, the Grizzlies have the 6th best lottery odds for this Sunday's NBA Draft lottery. There is some optimism that the Grizzlies could get some good fortune and pick as high as top-3. Unfortunately for the fanbase, Christopher Kline of FanSided just did a pre-lottery mock draft, and it has the Grizzlies facing a nightmare scenario, picking 10th overall.
This season was full of bad injury luck for the Grizzlies, and the team ended up trading fan favorite Jaren Jackson Jr. just two days before the trade deadline. Given the fact the Grizzlies went just 5-28 after the trade deadline, it would be a rather unfortunate blow if the team ended up picking 10th overall.
The Grizzlies will also end up picking at 16th overall and 32nd overall regardless of how the NBA Draft lottery plays out. With how stacked the 2026 NBA Draft is, the Grizzlies should have multiple opportunities to significantly boost the talent level of the roster. Even though they should come away with a strong draft regardless, their first pick simply needs to land as high as possible.
10th overall would be a tough pill to swallow for Grizzlies fans
The Grizzlies have missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and have been ravaged by injuries. They have also already traded Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ja Morant will very likely be the next one traded this summer. Falling all the way to the #10 pick is the exact opposite of the good break that Grizzlies fans are hoping for.
While the Grizzlies have drafted well the last two seasons, the 2026 NBA Draft is likely to be better than the previous two drafts. As the Grizzlies start their rebuild, they have some intriguing young players such as Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, GG Jackson II, and Jaylen Wells. What they do need, though, is the best chance possible at finding a true franchise cornerstone this summer.
Kline's mock is an interesting haul clouded by the bad lottery luck
Truthfully, without considering the context with the draft lottery, the Grizzlies ended up with a pretty good haul. With the 16th pick, the Grizzlies selected Santa Clara forward Allen Graves. They also ended up selecting Duke forward Isaiah Evans with their 32nd overall pick. Both players are strong 3-and-D wings that should boost the defensive playmaking and toughness of the Grizzlies.
While both those picks are intriguing, the mock is still a bit tainted by the fact the Grizzlies would pick 10th overall. Kline has the Grizzlies selecting Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the 10th overall pick in this situation. While Philon Jr. is a very intriguing offensive option, the Grizzlies end up losing out on other quality guard options such as Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr.
The Grizzlies' recent track record suggests that they would be able to develop a quality player at #10. But that would still be an extremely disappointing outcome given their injury luck and the fact they have the 6th best lottery odds.
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