NBA: Ranking every team based off draft success over the last 20 years
7. Memphis Grizzlies: 46 points
- 2000: Stromile Swift: -2 (bust with 2nd overall pick)
- 2001: Pau Gasol: 16 (6x all-star, 2x 2nd team, 2x 3rd team)
- 2001: Shane Battier: 0.5
- 2006: Rudy Gay: 0.5
- 2006: Kyle Lowry: 12 (6x all star, 1x 3rd team, 1.5x multiplier for pick outside of lottery)
- 2007: Mike Conley: 0.5
- 2007: Marc Gasol: 20 (3x all-star, 1x first team, 1x 2nd team, double points for 2nd round pick)
- 2008: O.J. Mayo: -1 (bust with 3rd overall pick)
- 2009: Hasheem Thabeet: -2 (bust with 2nd overall pick)
- 2010: Hassan Whiteside: 0.5
- 2018: Jaren Jackson Jr.: 0.5
- 2019: Ja Morant: 0.5
They say the fastest way to any destination is a straight line, but the Grizzlies took the scenic route on their way to contention. They seemingly changed their business model from 2000-09 to become a safe haven for busts, leading the league by drafting 3 of them and even took in a 4th for 15 games in 2008 by trading for Kwame Brown. They also get credit for both Gasol brothers and Kyle Lowry. All of whom have won championships, but none while they were on the Grizzlies. It’s a truly unique resumé of draft picks.
The Grizzlies somehow have one of the highest draft ceilings and simultaneously one of the lowest floors. And the worst part about it is that they would have had a legitimate championship contender if they used the 2008 or 2009 draft correctly, but instead came away with two busts.
In 2008 they drafted Kevin Love and then traded him on draft night for O.J. Mayo. And in 2009 they panic drafted Hasheem Thabeet after their owner overruled the GM, Chris Wallace, who reportedly wanted to take Steph Curry with that pick.
So, make whatever you’d like from the Grizzlies draft history because I can’t decide if it’s mostly good or mostly bad. They were a couple of moments away from competing for a championship and also a couple of franchise saving moments away from having nothing. It’s a draw.