[zolaParticipant]

We are all sure Zion is the best player from this class

We are all sure Morant is the second best player

We are all sure Barrett is the third best player

We were all sure Ayton was the best player from last year class, but year after he is behind Doncic, Young, Jackson, Bagley and it’s seems all of them have more room to improve

How come we all were wrong?

And how come we all are so sure this year again?

 

This topic is about Grizzlies second pick. The most people think they should pick Morant and get their longterm PG. But they are strongest at PG. They have Conley who has two more years on his contract and a year or two after that and still playing like borderline all star. They also have Delon Wright and Jevon Carter who can be good players. Their biggest need is scoring. They were dead last scoring team last season and RJ Barrett is the best scorer by far from this draft class. I know when you pick this high you don’t pick from need but you take BPA, but how can we be sure who is BPA?

Why Morant is the better than Barrett? Barret is year younger and played in a way, way better competition than Morant, still their scoring numbers are pretty similar. Morant is better athletically but Barrett is also great athlete. Morant has better court vision, his 10 assists per game are impressive but Barrett’s 4.3 assists are also impressive for SG. In two college season Morant didn’t play 5 serious games, while Barrett played against the best competition. RJ also played at Nike summit hoop and youth World cup and was very dominant in that competitions. Morant was the first, second and third option in his team while Barrett had to share his responsabilities at Duke as he would in NBA.

But even if Morant is better talent than Barrett, is it wise for Grizzlies to take him? If they pick Morant, they will need to trade Conley very soon.  The market for Conley is very small as we see in a recent topic. Utah is probably the most serious suitor, but what they have to offer, 23^rd pick, Exum, Grayson Allen, Crowder, Favors. They would give a borderline all star pretty much for nothing. Conley have always been underrated. He is the best guy in NBA to lead and mentor young core in Jackson and this 2^nd pick. If they trade him, they will be the worst team in the West and not just for season, especially cause they owe pick to Boston in the next two years. Look at the Timberwolves or Suns. It’s not enough just to have talented young players in your team, you need a veteran leadership so they can develop properly. If they trade Conley, they’ll become dysfunctional team in the next 3-4 years and that could slow down development of Jackson and Morant himself.

One more thing worries me about Morant. He says his favorite player is Westbrook and his style of play really reminds of his. I believe Morant will be very good player in NBA, but as we see last few years in examples of Westbrook, Irving, Walker, is it good to have such a ball dominant PG as leader of your team?

Barrett has a lot of flaws in his game, but I think Memphis is the best place for him to correct them. Grizzlies identity is based on strong defence and he would have to increase his defensive effort. Playing with Conley would surely help him to improve his decision making. First few years this would be still Conley’s team, but as he regressed, Barrett would took over the team. If Barrett develops properly, they wouldn’t need dominant PG in the future as he also has playmaking abilities. If he repeats Donovan Mitchell’s rookie season and he has potential to do so, Grizzlies could be very tough team next year.

[kobyzParticipant]

First of all being sure who’s the best prospect doesn’t mean being sure who’s gonna ends up best player… second last year were enough of doubt about ayton if should have been the first pick due to lack of defense and alpha dog mentality…

[zolaParticipant]

 If you put Barrett next to Conley, you’ll have more chances to get a superstar than if trade Conley and give keys to Morant to lead a show on his own from day one, even though Morant is maybe more talented, which I don’t believe he is

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Right off the bat I gotta say Im not sure Zion, Ja and Barrett are 1, 2 and 3. If I had to rank them thats where I would have them but in a 60 player draft I can almost gaurantee that one of the other 57 players will have a better career than one of those 3.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Okay so I read your full post and now I realize that was your point exactly. Ive got Barrett 2nd. I think he is in the same tier as Morant.

[HitsterParticipant]

 The Grizz are in a good position – they have options:-

1. Just draft Morant and pair him with Conley, let Morant get used to the NBA even play him off ball for a bit to see how he goes. Wait to see if thry get offers for Conley.

2. Draft Morant and actively look to trade Conley or see what offers they get.

3. Draft Barrett at 2 and pair him with Conley.

4. Give the Knicks a ring and see if they want to flip picks, Knicks have Smith, Frank N, picks due from Dallas they could use to move up a spot. Knicks get Morant and Grizz get Barrett.

 

[Scrooge McDuckParticipant]

Competition in the ohio valley conference is all that bad. They play fundamental basketball and energetically.  Morant is a floor general and extraordinary passer ala Trae Young, or Lonzo Ball. I think he’ll be fine. On my mock, he is a lock at #2.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 The top 3 just as easily could be Ja, Garland, and RJ.

Zion is a talent but just 6’6 with a 6’10 wingspan.  

If it is a small ball league then you go with a guard. If the league is getting bigger then Zion might be too small.  

Zion might best be used as a small ball 5.

With those other 3 (Ja, Garland, RJ) you put them on the ball but you can also play them off the ball.  

The tourney showed how to game plan against Zion.  And you don’t even need a Tacko Fall (although it would help).  Guys like Xavier Tillman helped slow down the Zion machine.  

I think the top 4 is Zion, Ja, RJ, and Garland but I have no idea which order.  RJ/Ja should both be in discussion for 1.  

[The GoatParticipant]

 I’m not sure Zion, Ja and RJ are the best 3 in the draft by any stretch. I think Zion still could bust. I believe you have to take them 1-2-3 now all things considered, but don’t fool yourself, this is a weak draft. It’s been flagged as weak for a few years and the only way to tell is to look back in a few years. 

I see you are advocating that the Griz consider RJ. I don’t see the benefit. The idea is right, but if they want a wing, they should focus on trading down to the next tier and grabbing one because they can pick up a future first or other asset for doing so. That is, if you strongly believe in a wing over a point for Memphis, the chance that Reddish or Culver or Hunter or one of these guys turns out better than Barrett is relatively good. RJ is no sure thing. You can even get two bites at getting a good wing if you trade right eg. Phoenix may give you Jackson and #6 for #2, you can draft Culver with that. 

[MopgrassParticipant]

 Funny, when I heard Morant say Westbrook was his favorite player, his stock dropped in my mind. I think he’s a top 2 talent, but he was the most dominant player in all of college. He’ll need to fix that. That doesn’t work in today’s NBA. Westbrook has relentlessly proved how ineffective it is. He’s brilliant, but just doesn’t shift the ball enough. 

What Morant has going for him the Westbrook doesn’t is that Morant doesn’t HAVE to play that way. Morant can hit the 3. And he’s young enough to change. 

[markfitz14Participant]

I like his explosiveness a lot! I’m not worried about Conely being there. The Griz are rebuilding. Conely will be there to show him the ropes. Then if they can get a pick or a young guy back around the deadline Conely will be dealt. 

[celtics1982Participant]

 You can’t judge last year’s draft already. You take Ayton for long-term upside, that isn’t gone. Over 16 and 10 at age 20. 

I’ve got Zion #1, no questions about it. Maybe he isn’t the best long-term, but he has by far the best chance.

Right now I take Barrett #2. If I’m Grizz I trade with Knicks if they bite.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

I’d still take Ja at 2. Why? Conley hasn’t been that healthy recently. He was out all last season, and he’s past his prime. Barrett is a good pick but struggles at what Memphis does best: defense and ft shooting. Barrett only shot 60% at the line. That’s horrible for a guard. Memphis wouldn’t survive with a guard shooting that low at the line. Darius was hurt most of the year so ja is more ready now than Garland.

Grizzlies were trying to trade Conley all year, just weren’t successful because not a good enough offer. They are going to have lower the asking price which they will because of the market for him and the need to trade him. I don’t think Conley and Ja will work playing together in the same lineup. Yes, Ja can learn from Conley but only for so long. So Conley could be traded during the offseason and I think there will be more offers for him after the draft. Charlotte will probably try and get him because Kemba will likely leave, yet there isn’t much value at 12 at point. White, Garland and Ja will be gone. NAW is the best value there at point but he might be better off at 2, but you shouldn’t be drafting Jerome or Carson Edwards at 12 and it’s highly they trade down or out because they need so much. So NAW or Fernando is their best bet, but either way they still have a need for a point guard to help NAW and possibly get them by until they find a suitable young pg probably next draft, especially if Kemba leaves which is very likely. So I see Charlotte doing all they can to get him. They are in the East which is where Conley wants to play so why not? Utah isn’t going to get him, he doesn’t want to play there. Memphis will trade him where he wants to go, they owe him that much.

[Bmore_DCParticipant]

@Hitster…

not trying to hate but have you seen Ja play a lot? Drafting him to play off the ball would be a horrible idea. His whole game is about him having the ball and making things happen.

You might as well draft RJ if you’re looking for a shooter/scorer/shotcreator. They aren’t much different potential wise (to me) 

[Author]

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