Yes, I will gladly mention this possibility again. Wouldn't it be incredible if the Grizzlies selected Aday Mara this summer? It was for a short time, but everyone saw how much better the Grizzlies looked in the 11 games that Zach Edey played. The Grizzlies have a golden opportunity in the 2026 NBA Draft to become even more dangerous with a healthy Zach Edey next season.
Imagine being able to counter the minutes Edey is off the floor with another high-quality 7-footer in Aday Mara. Similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, imagine being able to run double-big lineups with Zach Edey and Aday Mara. The possibilities are absolutely endless if the Grizzlies can successfully pair Edey and Mara together in Memphis.
The Michigan Wolverines are going to play in the Final Four this weekend largely thanks to their frontcourt. Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. have played at an extremely high level this season. While both are logical targets for the Grizzlies, Aday Mara is the piece of the Michigan frontcourt that can really excite Memphis fans.
Mara is the perfect solution to the non-Edey minutes
One of the main factors that derailed the Grizzlies' season was Zach Edey's injury in December. Despite the Grizzlies going 7-4 in Zach Edey's return, the team had no answer for his minutes off the floor. The issue was further amplified with him going down and missing the rest of the season. Beyond resolving Ja Morant's future, arguably the next biggest priority this offseason is having more answers for the minutes Zach Edey is off the floor.
The Grizzlies should be able to get back to winning relatively fast with a healthy Zach Edey. Granted, the sample size is not huge, but Edey was making the leap Grizzlies fans hoped for. However, the unintended consequence was how reliant the team was on Edey. In the games he played, the Grizzlies had a 17.7 net rating with Edey on the court, but it ended up dropping to a -6.7 net rating without him.
The Grizzlies have been plagued by injuries; however, they simply didn't have a suitable backup for Edey. Now, selecting Aday Mara would instantly solve that issue and make the Grizzlies' frontcourt much more dangerous.
Mara can likely be selected with the Orlando pick
The Grizzlies are on track to swap with the Orlando Magic for their second first-round pick. It could even end up landing in the lottery if the Magic miss the playoffs. If the Magic make the playoffs and the pick lands in the late teens, there is still a strong chance Aday Mara would still be available for the Grizzlies to select.
It has been a productive season for Mara despite sharing the same frontcourt with future NBA picks Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. He is averaging 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 66.9% from the field and making 68% of his twos. Mara is also a very prolific shot blocker, blocking 2.6 shots per game and having a 13.4% career block percentage going back to his days at UCLA.
At 7 foot 3 inches and 255 pounds, he has a very unique blend of playmaking on both sides of the ball and has a very reliable touch at the rim. There are some valid concerns though. Mara will have to get stronger and improve as a free-throw shooter at the next level. Mara is playing 23.1 minutes per game, but he has not played a heavy minute load throughout his college career. It will be interesting to see how well his conditioning holds up in the NBA and how big his role can truly expand.
Regardless, his talent and skillset are growing impossible to bet against. Mara could either be a high-level backup for Edey or form one of the best frontcourt duos with him in the NBA if he hits his ceiling. For all the Grizzlies fans focusing on this year's draft, Aday Mara needs to join the list of names being discussed.