As things currently stand, the Memphis Grizzlies hold the rights to the ninth overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Based on their rotational needs, many fans and media pundits expect to see Zach Kleiman and company look to address their clear need for a center upgrade, with some suspecting a trade up the board for UConn standout Donovan Clingan or taking a swing on the seemingly less-versatile Zach Edey out of Purdue as being plausible courses of action.
However, odds-makers seem to have a different viewpoint on what the franchise may be looking to do during Wednesday's festivities, as BetMGM has a selection of Providence's Devon Carter being the most likely turnout (+450) for the Grizzlies should they stay put at No. 9.
BetMGM has Devon Carter as odds-on favorite to be drafted by Grizzlies
The 22-year-old finds himself coming off the best season of his collegiate career, as he went on to post impressive per-game averages of 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from distance on 6.8 attempts a night.
As a result of these phenomenal efforts, Carter went on to receive prestigious honors such as a First-team All-Big East nod, and was named Big East Player of the Year.
"IS THIS KID SOMETHIN' OR WHAT?" 🗣️@kingcarter2225 x @PCFriarsMBB pic.twitter.com/0Sei5fsDxZ
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 8, 2024
Oft tabbed as one of the best backcourt prospects in this year's draft class, the 3-and-D combo guard has a skill set that Bleacher Report draft insider Jonathan Wasserman has likened to Boston Celtics stud Derrick White, though he's also been grouped into the same conversation as bigger and more noteworthy talents such as Jrue Holiday.
Adding his talents to the Grizzlies would not only bolster their backcourt rotation with his two-way upside but, in theory, it could also make players like Marcus Smart a bit more expendable, as he's slated to account for $20.2 million of the team's eighth-highest payroll in 2024-25 and has already been viewed as a name to watch on the trade rumor mill heading into Wednesday's NBA Draft.
Though BetMGM would note in their analysis that G League Ignite standout Ron Holland's second-best odds (+600) of being the pick at ninth overall is "too enticing to pass up" for betting purposes, ultimately, they believe Carter has become "the biggest liability in the No. 9 pick market" due both to his obviously impressive potential as well as the fact that his father, Anthony, is an assistant coach of the Grizzlies.