With just 12 regular season games left for the Grizzlies, we are inching closer to a pivotal Ja Morant saga this summer. Morant was not traded at this year's deadline, but talks of a trade will be at an all-time high this offseason. The Grizzlies are in the early stages of their rebuild, and it seems likely the rebuild will continue without Ja Morant.
Regardless of if Morant is traded or not, the Grizzlies would still be wise to draft a guard in the first round of this year's stacked class. Here are three options for the Grizzlies to consider:
1. Kingston Flemings, Houston
Kingston Flemings is having a very impressive freshman season with the Houston Cougars and will likely go top 5 in this year's draft. At 6'4" and 190 pounds, Flemings has the ideal length to make a two-way impact in the NBA. Flemings is a great athlete with plenty of burst and good change of pace. Despite being in a very experienced backcourt, Flemings has continued to show confidence as a playmaker and shot creator.
For the season, Flemings is averaging 16.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 31.5 minutes per game. He is also adding 1.6 steals per game and has solid 47.8/38.8/84.3 shooting splits. While there are some questions about his shooting form, Flemings could end up being a very high-impact offensive player in the NBA with improved shooting mechanics.
His variety of ways to score plus his defensive instincts would make him a very strong option to succeed Ja Morant in Memphis.
2. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Mikel Brown Jr. showed significant upside during his freshman season at Louisville. However, injuries slowed him down, and he ended up missing this year's NCAA Tournament. Brown Jr. already had a strong track record of success before college, having previously been a McDonald's All-American and winning the FIBA U19 World Cup with USA Basketball.
At 6'5" and 190 pounds, Brown Jr. has intriguing size and burst that could make him a really dangerous lead guard in the NBA. While Brown Jr.'s shooting splits are not the best, it is important to consider that he dealt with injuries and was shooting the ball much better before being ruled out with a back injury.
Brown Jr. averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists and proved that he is one of the best guards in the country.
3. Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
This draft class is so stacked that Labaron Philon Jr. is starting to become an underrated talent. Despite making a significant sophomore leap this season, it is looking likely he won't be selected in the top 10 this summer. However, it is very possible he will be in range with the Grizzlies' second first-round pick.
Philon Jr. is one of the best isolation scorers in college basketball and clearly made the right choice to stay for his sophomore season. He is averaging 21.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5 assists and doubled his scoring average from his freshman season.
Listed at 6'4" and 185 pounds, there have been some concerns about his strength and defensive consistency. However, he is showing major upside as a three-level scorer and could end up being one of the steals of the entire 2026 NBA Draft.
If the Grizzlies want to select a guard in the first round this summer, they have plenty of options with either first-round pick. Regardless of if Morant ends up being traded or not, the Grizzlies would still be wise to find their potential starting point guard of the future.