Grade the Trade: Grizzlies swap 2024 first-round pick for recent lottery selected big

The Memphis Grizzlies may have just endured one of their worst campaigns in recent memory, but not everything stemming from 2023-24 has proved to be all that bad.

Frankly, one could make the argument that steering into a gap year mentality while guys like Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Jaren Jackson Jr. were all consistently dealing with nagging injuries was the only logical move for the franchise to have made, as they now head into the offseason with an always coveted lottery pick in tow.

With their record of 27-55, the Grizzlies are currently projected to land the seventh pick in this June's NBA Draft though, with the league's alteration to its lottery model back in 2017, they also hold a 31.9 percent chance of moving into the top four of the draft and, excitingly enough, a 7.5 percent chance of nabbing the top selection.

Recent trade idea sees Grizzlies trade top selection in NBA Draft

Though these odds may be low, Memphis should still be planning ahead with the idea that they could realistically end up with the number one pick, and, while the easy belief is that they'd look to keep it if the ping-pong balls bounced their way, considering the fact that this year's class is being deemed as rather weak, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley suggests that Zach Kleiman and company might want to consider the idea of trading it away.

Let's take a look at the seasoned writer's recent blockbuster proposal that would see the Grizzlies shipping the number one pick out to Motor City.