The Grizzlies finished 25-57, giving them the sixth-best lottery chances for this Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery. There is optimism that the Grizzlies may have some good luck and pick as high as the top three. Unfortunately for the fans, Christopher Kline of FanSided just performed a pre-lottery mock draught, and it has the Grizzlies in a horrific situation, selecting 10th overall.
The Grizzlies suffered multiple injuries this season, forcing the team to trade fan favorite Jaren Jackson Jr. two days before the trade deadline. Given that the Grizzlies went 5-28 after the trade deadline, it would be extremely disappointing if the club selected 10th overall.
Regardless of how the NBA Draft lottery turns out, the Grizzlies will select 16th and 32nd overall. Given the depth of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Grizzlies should have numerous chances to substantially enhance the team’s talent. Even if they should have a solid draft regardless, their first selection has to be as high as possible.
Grizzlies fans would be heartbroken to finish 10th overall.
The Grizzlies have missed the playoffs in two of the previous three seasons and have been plagued with injuries. They have already dealt Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. , and Ja Morant is expected to be traded this summer. Falling all the way down to the 10th choice is the polar opposite of the lucky break that Grizzlies supporters are hoping for.
While the Grizzlies have selected well in each of the previous two seasons, the 2026 NBA Draft is expected to be superior than both. As the Grizzlies begin their rebuild, they have some promising young players, including Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, GG Jackson II, and Jaylen Wells. However, they do need the greatest opportunity to find a genuine franchise cornerstone this summer.
Kline’s parody is an intriguing find, but it is marred by poor lottery luck.
The Grizzlies had a good haul in general, regardless of the draft lottery situation. With the 16th choice, the Grizzlies selected Allen Graves, a Santa Clara forward. With the 32nd overall choice, they chose Duke forward Isaiah Evans. Both players are excellent 3-and-D wings who should help the Grizzlies improve their defensive playmaking and tenacity.
While both of those selections are intriguing, the mock is somewhat tainted by the fact that the Grizzlies would pick tenth overall. Kline expects the Grizzlies to pick Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the tenth overall choice in this case. While Philon Jr. is a very interesting offensive choice, the Grizzlies miss out on other great guard alternatives like as Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr.
The Grizzlies’ recent track record indicates that they can produce a good player at the tenth position. But, considering their injury luck and the fact that they have the sixth greatest lottery chances, that would be a very disappointing conclusion.
