NBA Draft: Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls Interested in Trading Up for Donovan Clingan

The two franchises are interested in trading up for the two-time National Champion.

Apr 13, 2024; Hartford, CT, USA; UConn Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) hold the championship trophy as he arrives at the State Capitol and greeted by fans before teams victory parade. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NBA Draft is a week away, and the current cycle has been quite quiet in terms of potential movement and draft promises. Still, things are ramping up and there's plenty of interest circling UConn center Donovan Clingan.

According to 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein, both the Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies are interested in trading up in the draft to try and land the 7-foot-2, 282-pound center.

"Donovan Clingan is going to be one of the more interesting players to watch in this draft. There are a couple of teams that are being very active trying to trade up to draft the UConn big man," Finkelstein said. "Memphis and Chicago, in particular, I am hearing are making a significant attempt to move up to a position where they could draft Clingan."

The Bulls need a youth movement, and building in the draft is a key way to build a long-term winner. They can replace the services of Nikola Vucevic, giving them a high-upside center to anchor the defense.

For the Grizzlies, having a center like Clingan alongside Ja Morant and the rest of the core will give them some consistency at the big man position.

"While Clingan is an option for Atlanta at [pick No. 1], and he's an option for Washington at [pick No. 2], there's a variety of places within the top seven that are not expected to be potential destinations for him, specifically because they already have their centers of the future," Finkelstein continued.

Because of the way the lottery played out, Clingan's draft selection is hard to make a prediction. There are team who don't have a center void and have no reason to draft Clingan, while others are willing to trade up to secure his services.

"He's not going to go to Houston where they have Alperen Sengun. He's not going to go to San Antonio where they have Victor Wembanyama. He's not going to go to Charlotte, where they have Mark Williams, or at least that's what the intel is telling us now," Finkelstein said.

Should Houston hold onto the No. 3 pick in the draft, the Detroit Pistons seem like the biggest threat to pick Clingan before the Portland Trail Blazers pick at No. 7. The Rockets have a bit of control because of this, and can even use the bidding war as leverage to trade down while securing a win-now pick.

"So, that puts us in a position where we say, 'Alright, maybe he goes one, maybe he goes two, maybe there's a trade -- Atlanta trades down or Memphis and Chicago trades up, putting them in a position to deal for him, potentially Houston at [pick No. 3], that's somebody to watch.' But if nothing happens, as I said last week, it is inconceivable that he slips all the way to seven."

Watching where Clingan goes in the early picks in the 2024 NBA Draft might be one of the interesting parts of the event, though there will be plenty of wild cards and surprises given the nature of the draft class.

"The intel is, right now, Chicago and Memphis making very clear attempts to move up in the draft with hopes of taking Clingan with Houston being a potential trade partner there, that is certainly something to watch."

Whether or not the Rockets deal their pick to a Clingan suitor will be intriguing, and where the UConn star falls if not is truthfully hard to predict. But more importantly, don't expect things to be quiet ahead of the draft beginning as those two teams are looking to secure the defensive anchor for their future.

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