2024 NBA Draft: Breaking Down Memphis Grizzlies Draft Class

The Memphis Grizzlies had three draft picks in this year’s draft which included two-time national player of the year, Zach Edey. How well did they do in this year’s draft?

Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

The Memphis Grizzlies dealt with a ton of injuries all season long which ultimately played a major factor in them missing out on the NBA playoffs. They landed a top-ten pick due to missing the playoffs so while they are bringing in young talent they also will have a healthy roster heading into next season so they will be aiming for an NBA championship.

Let’s dive into each selection they made and the summary of their draft.

No. 9: Zach Edey

Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

It was rumored that the Grizzlies' main priority in this year’s draft was to add size on the interior and they did just that. Although it seemed that Donovan Clingan out of UConn was their main priority, they still ended up with the biggest guy in the entire draft in Zach Edey. The 7-foot-5 center is very skilled at his size which allowed him to dominate the college game and become a two-time national player of the year in the NCAA.

Edey is an elite finisher around the rim that and has great touch inside the painted area. He led college basketball in total made dunks so having an elite playmaker like Ja Morant next to him will allow him to get a ton of easy finishes around the rim. The former Boilermaker is a very good post scorer who has an unstoppable right hook over his left shoulder move that college defenders never found an answer for. You should expect Edey to take advantage of mismatches when he gets the ball inside the painted area.

He is a double-double machine as he excels as a rebounder on both ends of the floor. Due to his unreal size at 7-foot-5 with a 7-foot-11 wingspan, he is a good interior defender who alters shots around the rim. The main concern when it comes to Edey is how he translates to the NBA. He lacks defensive versatility due to how slow-footed he is and his struggles defending out in space. When defending ball-screens he’s only effective in drop coverage as he isn’t able to provide any other coverage effectively.

No. 39: Jaylen Wells

Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

Early in the second round, the Grizzlies selected a 6-foot-7 wing out of Washington State in Jaylen Wells. Before joining Washington State he was a star at the Division II level where he was a high-level scorer and shooter at Sonoma State. In his sophomore season at Sonoma State, he averaged 22.4 points while shooting 51.7% from the field and 43.8% from behind the arc.

The 3-point shooting certainly translated to the Division I level as he shot 41.7% from behind the arc at Washington State. Although he was a second-round pick, Wells was one of the top 3-and-D prospects in the entire draft. His most NBA-ready skill is his outside shooting ability as he excels as a spot-up shooter and shows the ability to make shots off the dribble. Defensively he has the size and tools to defend up and down a lineup.

The next step for Wells is improving his consistency on both ends of the floor. He has the tools and ability to be a very good role player in the NBA. It's just about finding the right opportunity and taking advantage of his opportunity when he gets to the NBA. He likely won’t see a ton of minutes right away for a loaded Grizzlies squad, but after a few years of proper development he could be a solid addition to the rotation for Memphis

No. 53: Cam Spencer

Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

One of the final picks of the entire draft was Cam Spencer out of UConn who played a huge role in UConn winning their second national championship in back-to-back years. Similar to Wells, Spencer’s best NBA skill is his shooting ability as he shot 44% on nearly six 3-point attempts per game.

The thing scouts loved about Spencer coming out of college was that he’s more than just a sharpshooter. He has a very good feel for the game and it shows with some of the passes he makes out of dribble handoffs and ball-screens. Spencer also showed he’s a good shooter off the dribble with some enticing shot-making prowess. If defenders run him off the line in the NBA then he’s able to go the one-two dribble pull-up as he’s a very good pull-up shooter.

On the downside of things Spencer is quite undersized for a wing as he stands at 6-foot-3 with just average length so he will be a bit limited as a defender and will struggle to defend bigger wings. Although it’s unlikely he carves out a long career in the NBA, he does show potential to consistently find himself on a roster with his outside shooting ability and great feel for the game.

Draft Summary

The Grizzlies probably could’ve gone in a better direction with some of their picks, but they made it obvious they wanted to improve their depth with proven college shooters and experienced college players. Although a lot of scouts are skeptical of Edey’s translation to the NBA, he may have ended up in the perfect situation. Playing next to an elite, young point guard in Ja Morant will allow him to find much easier looks and become a lot more comfortable on the offensive end.

The pick-and-roll game between Edey and Morant should be very good. Jaren Jackson Jr is a great big man to play alongside Edey as they fill each other’s weaknesses quite well. Jackson is an elite defender and rim protector which is where Edey will struggle. On the other hand, Edey is a great rebounder and post scorer which is where Jackson struggles. The fit is even better because of Jackson’s ability to stretch the floor.

With their second-round picks, they made an emphasis on adding proven college shooters in Spencer and Wells. It’s very unlikely either of them see the floor much during their rookie season, but expect them to be ready if their name is called on. Overall it was an okay draft for the Grizzlies and we should expect them to be right back in the playoffs fighting for a championship next season.

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