Grizzlies, Thunder, 76ers, Kings
The winners of the NBA draft's first day
It’s very difficult to predict anything, especially which NBA players will be successful. And I’ve been wrong plenty of times through the years. But if you’ve been reading TrueHoop, you know that I see some worrying signs about AJ Dybantsa and to a lesser degree Darryn Peterson. Either might prove splendid, but with what I have learned from my network, the third and fourth picks of Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson, strike me as far less likely to fail.
Memphis won day one
Wilson might have a higher ceiling than Boozer, but a lower floor. The Grizzlies might be the only team that knows what they’re getting, and it’s a perfect fit.
The Grizzlies have a collection of good young players. One of the best is the enormous Zach Edey. When he’s in the game, he has been wonderful. But two seasons into his career, Edey has appeared in only 77 games, while missing 87 to an assortment of injuries. When he is out, the Grizzlies don’t have a great solution, which is a bigger problem than ever now that, thanks to Victor Wembanyama, all kinds of teams are loading up on big men.
I’m sure I’m not the only one seeing that Boozer might be the Grizzlies long-term answer at center, with Edey as the backup that I always thought he would be. Edey’s a more effective player than I expected him to be, no doubt. The game also has changed a little bit, permitting more physicality than ever, which is good for him. But like Manu Ginobili back in the day, Edey might not have the makeup to play the starter minutes that he wants to play.
Boozer does not have the classic build of a five. He measured 6-foot-8-and-a-quarter without shoes at the combine. But he is strong as hell, made 39 percent of his college 3s, has a game a lot like Alperen Şengün, and is all about winning.
Then the Grizzlies did some clever work, trading down minimally in the draft, from 16 to 17, and then from 17 to 21, in exchange for five second-round picks—two from the Thunder and three from the Pistons.
And then they got also got Karim López. I don’t know much about him, but I just talked to a prominent agent Wednesday morning who said “I recruited (but didn’t sign) Lopez, he’s got a chance to be very good.”
If that proves true the Grizzlies will look like geniuses.
They might anyway. The Grizzlies now have two cornerstones of their next generation: Cedric Coward and Cameron Boozer. They also have a roster heavy with young players with potential: Edey, O-Max Prosper, Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr., Jahmai Mashack, Taylor Hendricks, Walter Clayton Jr., Lopez, Cam Spencer … I could go on. They have almost all of their own picks moving forward, some nice draft capital coming from Orlando as a result of the Desmond Bane trade, and as of yesterday five spare second-round picks. The Grizzlies have given themselves every opportunity to build a successful young team.
You think I’m crazy now, but there’s a world where one day Cedric Coward is as dominant as Jalen Brunson. As one of the best tall shooters in the world, who does everything right, Boozer has similarities to Karl-Anthony Towns. And we all know how that combination performed in the playoffs.
The Thunder solved two problems
Hand, meet glove.
