Grizz need to make the most of lottery pick
Memphis has number two slot in 2019 NBA Draft
A Times Sports Commentary
After two consecutive losing seasons and having traded Marc Gasol away to Toronto, Memphis Grizzlies fans finally have something to cheer about and really look forward to.
The Grizz beat the odds this week and wound up with the No.2 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, which most assuredly means that we will land a player who can help re-shape the club back into a playoff contender.
The New Orleans Pelicans landed the No.1 pick and will most likely take Duke phenom Zion Williamson. That leaves the Grizz though in the enviable position of being able to select either Murray State point guard Ja Morant or Duke guard R.J. Barrett.
Both players are regarded by analysts as the next two best players in this year’s draft.
The Grizz will be looking for a player who can partner with last year’s No. 4 pick Jaren Jackson, Jr.
as the rebuild continues in Memphis. Both Jackson or Morant have the potential to be the cornerstone for the Grizz into the future.
Barrett has the ability to become a superstar playmaker. He averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field. However, a big knock against him is that he is a streaky shooter. He shot just 30.8 percent from deep and 66.5 percent from the freethrow line.
Morant seems to be generating the most attention.
The Grizz already have one of the best point guards in the league in Mike Conley.
But this could be Conley’s final season with the Grizz. Conley was the subject of trade talks last year and he is almost certain to be traded before the season is out. So drafting Morant would give the Grizz some time to have him work with Conley to develop his skills as a point guard.
Then, by trading Conley the Grizz could get some more pieces to put around Morant and Jackson.
Morant also has the talent to become an All-Star. He averaged 24.5 points, 10 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals a game while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three point range. He showed reason to be excited during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament with a triple-double in the first round against Marquette and 28 points in a second round loss to Florida State.
Either way the Grizz front office decides, draft day 2019 will turn out a lot better than 2003 and 2009.
In 2003 the Grizz rose from sixth to second in the pick but because it was only Top 1 protected had to surrender the pick to Detroit to complete a previous trade. In 2009, Memphis passed over James Harden and Steph Curry and inexplicably chose Hasheem Thabeet who turned out to be a bust.
The Grizzlies still face a lot of uncertainty this offseason. They still need to hire a coach, decide on Mike Conley’s situation, and worry about whether center Jonas Valenciunas will stay. Valenciunas, who was acquired from Toronto in the Gasol trade, has said that he would like to return to the Grizz, but only if Conley is the one handling the ball.
Let’s hope the Grizzlies make the right selection in the draft, hire a good coach (I say bring back Lionel Hollins!), and that Valenciunas stays. If all of those pieces fall in to place, the future looks very bright indeed for the Grizzles.
