Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Coward, Vibes
The Grizzlies are off to a 3-6 start to the season and have already suspended Ja Morant for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.
While rumors have started to circulate about teams keeping an eye on the situation, there’s still no indication that Memphis would consider moving Morant, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line — at least, no indication yet.
“Nobody’s doing seismic, monumental things before 20, 25 games have been played,” an agent told Fischer, who notes that the team is still in the evaluation stage after a significant offseason roster shakeup that included trading Desmond Bane to Orlando for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and four first-round picks.
According to Fischer, indications are that leadership wants to see what head coach Tuomas Iisalo can do with the roster when it’s closer to full strength before making any decisions. Brandon Clarke, Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, and Scotty Pippen Jr. have all missed time to open the season.
We have more from the Grizzlies:
- While the Morant situation has been the subject of the most scrutiny, Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s struggles to find his place in the offense have been an important part of the story too, writes Damichael Cole for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Jackson finished with just nine points on six shots in Wednesday’s loss to the Rockets after entering the game averaging the second-lowest field goal attempts since his rookie year. “He got this little trail three he used to get a lot,” said teammate Vince Williams Jr. “He hasn’t been shooting that as much. I think he’s just being over passive, but we need him to score if we want to win, so he’s got to score.”
- Iisalo has made it clear that getting Jackson more involved is a priority moving forward, though Cole writes that Morant told the head coach the team’s ability to spread the defense out is also an issue. “It’s not enough space,” Morant said. “We got to make more shots and open up the floor for him.” Jackson, for his part, said that he’s “very confident” that he will return to form soon. “You just got to be aggressive,” Jackson said. “You just got to be in attack mode.”
- One of the few bright spots in Memphis so far this season has been the play of rookie Cedric Coward, who was selected with the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft after the Grizzlies traded two of the first-rounders acquired in the Bane deal — including the 16th overall pick that became Yang Hansen — to get him. Coward currently ranks third on the team in scoring, rebounding, and steals, and is second in made three-pointers. However, it doesn’t appear that a promotion to the starting lineup is in the immediate future. “We think about that with all of our players,” Iisalo said when asked about the idea (Twitter link via Cole). “… A lot of times it doesn’t make sense to have, for example, all of your best on-ball creators in the same lineup. His minutes have been steadily going up because of his overall impact. I think that’s the more important thing than like who is starting and who is not.“
- There are palpable bad vibes surrounding the team, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo! Sports, and not just related to Morant. Iko writes that after years of boasting an energetic, fun-loving style of play, the team is missing the edge and confidence it once wore on its sleeve. Iisalo is aware of the change. ” It’s very hard to build confidence if you’re consistently losing,” he says. “It’s great to be around other guys when you’re winning, and when it’s losing, it tests you and reveals a lot of that character. We’re losing and it’s being tested and there’s only one way out from there.”
- Iko points to a different style of attack after years of playing in Taylor Jenkins‘ scheme as part of the cause. Morant’s attempts at the rim are down and his perimeter shots are up, and the team seems more stagnant at times than it used to. Jackson echoed the sentiment. “The longer you’ve done [something different], it’ll take a little longer than the average person to snap back into something new,” the former Defensive Player of the Year said. “You have to have full belief in it and have to give yourself up for it, full belief that it will work every single time. Otherwise, you’re going to be hesitant. Any little bit of hesitation in professional sports will get you a loss.”
Grizzlies Notes: Coward, Iisalo, Morant, Edey
In an interesting story for Andscape, Marc J. Spears details Cedric Coward‘s unconventional journey to the NBA. The Grizzlies wing, who was selected 11th overall in June’s draft, had no Division I offers as a high school senior and spent his freshman college season on a non-athletic scholarship at Willamette University, a Division III school in Salem, Oregon.
“It was hard to believe I could go to the NBA then, if I’m being honest,” Coward said. “But I had to because I’m a big believer in manifestation and seeing where you want to be in life. And I always watch basketball all the time, especially NBA games. You have to imagine yourself on the court. Either that or the dream can die.
“And for me, even though it was hard, I felt as if I was working out for a team or I was on the court in a game. Even though I wasn’t in that situation, you had to keep believing in yourself. And for me, I had to keep making that vision possible, or in my mind at least.”
As Spears writes, after a strong freshman campaign for the Bobcats, Coward transferred to mid-major Eastern Washington. He had a relatively modest role as a sophomore, but started to garner NBA attention during his junior season and tested the draft waters in 2024 before withdrawing. Coward transferred to Washington State as a senior and was off to a terrific start before a torn labrum in his shoulder ended his season early.
Despite only playing six games for the Cougars, the 22-year-old rose up draft boards due to his elite efficiency and an excellent performance at the combine. After shaking off some rust during the preseason, Coward has impressed both the Grizzlies and people around the NBA, averaging 15.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals on .587/.478/.909 shooting through seven games (25.3 minutes per contest).
“The first thing you got to know about Cedric is his approach to the game and his professionalism,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said, per Spears. “That is what’s driving the daily development. He has tremendous tools for a wing. He’s got great length, physicality. He’s athletic. He’s skilled. So, he has all the tools in place.
“It’s been a tremendous learning curve for him, obviously, not having played a lot in the last year because of his injury and then jumping from a relatively low level to the NBA. So, it’s been really impressive what he has been able to do in a short amount of time and with a short amount of practice time and live games.”
We have more from Memphis:
- Prior to Monday’s contest, Iisalo was asked about the one-game suspension Ja Morant received for conduct detrimental to the team. Iisalo reportedly challenged Morant’s “leadership and effort” after Friday’s loss to the Lakers, and Morant responded in an “inappropriate and dismissive way.” According to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link), Iisalo repeatedly said, “We had a discussion and we’re all looking to move forward and beat the Pistons tonight” anytime he was asked about the incident.
- Although Iisalo didn’t reveal much about the Morant situation, he did broadly discuss his substitution patterns, which is reportedly one of the issues Morant has with the Finnish coach, who is in his first full season at the helm. To briefly summarize the in-depth response (Twitter link via Herrington), Iisalo said that while he understands that players might be accustomed to playing longer stretches at a time, the goal of the shorter shifts is to find a competitive advantage for the team, both now and going forward.
- A combination of off-court incidents, injuries, and declining production has Sam Quinn of CBS Sports questioning whether it’s time for Memphis to move on from Morant after his latest controversy. While Quinn argues the Grizzlies may be better off without Morant, he acknowledges finding a trade partner would be tricky, and the team likely wouldn’t get much in return for the 26-year-old guard, who is on a maximum-salary contract that runs through 2027/28.
- Second-year center Zach Edey is progressing from offseason ankle surgery, having been assigned to and then recalled from the Memphis Hustle in order to practice with the G League club on Monday (Twitter links via the Grizzlies). It’s an encouraging sign for the Grizzlies, who have been without Edey and Brandon Clarke (knee surgery) to open the season.
Grizzlies Notes: Coward, Small, Morant, Bassey
After a slow start during the preseason, rookie Cedric Coward has quickly shown why the Grizzlies were so high on him entering the 2025 draft. Memphis traded a future first-round pick and two second-rounders in order to move up five spots from No. 16 to draft Coward at No. 11 overall.
The 22-year-old wing, who earned praise from his coaches and teammates during training camp, averaged an extremely efficient 15.0 points per game over his first two contests. And in Saturday’s victory over Indiana, Coward erupted for 27 points (on 9-of-13 shooting), six rebounds and four assists in just 24 minutes.
“It’s just been waiting to happen,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required). “He’s making those shots in practice and knocking them down at a high clip. Great free throw shooter, like, all the signs are there.”
As Sharon Brown of The Memphis Flyer writes, Coward doesn’t act or play like a rookie, with an even-keeled demeanor, “quiet confidence,” and excellent work ethic — traits that should serve him well over a long season.
“It’s super important,” Coward said of his poised demeanor. “We’ve got 82 of these things, plus playoffs … You have to take the highs and the lows the same. You can’t just do it one time and be satisfied.”
We have more from Memphis:
- In addition to Coward, backcourt injuries have also created an opportunity for rookie guard Javon Small, writes Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com. “He’s worked extremely hard to learn a ton of things in a short amount of time,” Iisalo said of Small, who is on a two-way contract. “He’s doing a great job. He listens. He just absorbs. He has a confidence that really works for us, and he’s become big-time for us in a situation that we really needed him.”
- Star point guard Ja Morant used to be mentioned as one of the future faces of the league until off-court incidents and injuries changed the trajectory of his career, but he tells Nick Friedell of The Athletic he was never interested in filling the role. “There’s a lot that comes with that,” Morant said. “I play basketball for the love of the game, not to be the face of the NBA. Obviously, I hear that a lot. I don’t put no pressure on it. I just go out and just play my game. Me pretty much just going out there and doing that had me in those conversations. Obviously, people have their own opinions, but I really don’t care for it too much.”
- The Grizzlies signed center Charles Bassey to a 10-day hardship contract on Monday. Iisalo praised the Nigerian big man’s rebounding prowess and said he’ll get a chance to play for Memphis at some point, as Cole relays (via Twitter). “He will get his opportunity,” Iisalo said of Bassey. “Whether that comes today or in the future games, that remains to be seen.”
Southwest Notes: Coward, Vassell, Wemby, Mavs
It wasn’t exactly a memorable pro debut on Monday for Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward, who missed all seven of his field goal attempts, committed three fouls, and was a -22 in 18 minutes of action as Memphis lost to Detroit by a score of 128-112.
Still, while head coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged it was a “rough night” for the 22-year-old, Coward and the team were just happy that he was able to get back on the court for the first time since November 2024, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. The former Washington State swingman missed most of last season and was held out of Summer League due to a shoulder injury.
“Now that I’ve touched an NBA court, you don’t really have to get your feet wet anymore,” Coward said. “It’s like your first time going swimming. Once you get in the pool, you’re straight. … Ultimately, it’s just getting the rhythm of the game. The shots I did take were shots I liked. That’s why I’m not worried about it. It wasn’t like I was rushing them or anything. They just weren’t falling.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- After dealing with knee and foot issues during the 2023 and 2024 offseasons, Devin Vassell made it through this summer fully healthy and is optimistic about having a bounce-back year in 2025/26 after his numbers dipped a little last season, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “It’s been huge,” the Spurs wing said. “Just being able to come into work every day and even have two-a-days to do certain things that I haven’t been able to do for a while, it’s been good. Strength-wise, conditioning-wise, on-court wise – it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been able to do that.” Vassell added that his goal is to play in all 82 games this season — his career high is 71 in 2021/22.
- Michael C. Wright of ESPN is the latest reporter to take an in-depth look at a transformational summer for Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who explained why the blood clot that ended his 2024/25 season could ultimately be “beneficial.” Meanwhile, Jared Weiss of The Athletic explores how San Antonio’s plan for how to use Wembanyama has evolved, writing that the big man is acting as more of a creator on the wing and looking more like Kevin Durant than Anthony Davis.
- Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd provided a series of injury updates on Tuesday, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Among them: Dante Exum remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury, and Brandon Williams, who suffered a hamstring strain early in camp, is still considered day-to-day.
Western Notes: Kuminga, Kleber, Coward, Blazers, Grant
After Jonathan Kuminga took part in his first Warriors practice of training camp on Thursday – he participated in about half the team’s scrimmages, per head coach Steve Kerr (Twitter video link) – the 22-year-old forward publicly discussed his contract situation for the first time since finalizing a two-year, $46.8MM deal that includes a second-year team option.
Negotiations on that contract dragged on for the entire offseason in part because Kuminga reportedly didn’t want to simply become a trade chip after re-signing. So, now that he’s back under contract on a very tradable deal, does he feel as if the Warriors want to keep him for the long term?
“I would say so,” Kuminga said, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “Based on me being back here. At the end of the day, let’s see where this takes us. But my focus is this year pushing and actually helping us win. You never know what’s going to happen, but I’m happy, glad to be back.”
As for whether he wants to remain in Golden State for the long term? “I’m here now,” Kuminga said. “That’s everybody’s goal, to be somewhere for longer. You never know your future. So far that’s my goal. That’s what I want to accomplish. Being here for longer.”
Kuminga’s role has been inconsistent during his first four years in the NBA, including last spring, when he was a DNP-CD in a handful of games at the end of the season and in the postseason. He said on Thursday that he’s determined to find ways to “help us win” on both ends of the court in 2025/26 and that he intends to silence critics who believe he’s an offense-only player.
“If it’s on defense, if it’s an assignment, just go guard the best player,” Kuminga said. “Today we need you to score. Today we need you to guard certain people. That’s what I’m looking forward to and I’m open-minded to it.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Lakers big man Maxi Kleber is dealing with a quad injury, but it’s considered minor, according to head coach JJ Redick, who said on Thursday the team is being cautious with Kleber and he’ll miss a few days (Twitter link via Jovan Buha). Kleber, acquired from Dallas in February’s Luka Doncic blockbuster, broke his foot in January and didn’t make his Lakers debut until Game 5 of their first-round series vs. Minnesota, the team’s last game of the season.
- Cedric Coward, the No. 11 pick in June’s draft, is earning praise from coaches and teammates alike at the Grizzlies‘ training camp at Belmont University this week, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I think he’s kind of exceeded my expectations,” point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. said. “I never really saw any of his (college) highlights, but I’ve played and I’ve been around top picks. I feel like he’s been one of the better ones I’ve ever seen.” Memphis gave up a future first-round pick and two second-rounders in order to move up five spots from No. 16 to draft Coward.
- After declaring at a July 22 press conference that it’s “winning time now” for the Trail Blazers, general manager Joe Cronin walked back that comment a little this week when he discussed the team’s expectations for the coming season, notes Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link). “Do we want to make the play-in? Yes,” Cronin said. “Do we want to make the playoffs? Yes. Do we want to win 16 playoff games? Yes. But I don’t have expectations and I won’t be disappointed if those things don’t happen as long as we’re continually growing. We’re still thinking big-picture with this roster.”
- On media day on Monday, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant answered a question about the possibility of him coming off the bench by replying, “I don’t really expect that.” On Thursday, Grant sought to clarify that he wouldn’t become disgruntled if he doesn’t end up starting. “I’m fine, man,” he said, per Highkin (Twitter link).
Grizzlies Announce Injury Updates On Clarke, Edey, Jackson
Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke is undergoing an arthroscopic procedure to address synovitis in his right knee, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter).
Clarke’s 2024/25 season was cut short in March when he suffered a PCL sprain in his right knee.
While that injury has fully healed, per the Grizzlies, he experienced synovitis — inflammation that affects the synovial membranes in joints — during recent training sessions. Memphis says it will provide a return timeline after the procedure, but Clarke is expected to make a full recovery.
Shams Charania of ESPN, who first reported the news, hears that Clarke is expected to miss a minimum of six weeks, which is when he will be reevaluated (Twitter link).
It’s another unfortunate setback for Clarke, who has been plagued by various injuries throughout his career, including a torn Achilles tendon that cost him most of ’23/24.
In the same press release, the Grizzlies also provided injury updates on center Zach Edey and forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr., both of whom are recovering from offseason surgeries.
Edey, who underwent left ankle surgery in June, has been cleared to ramp up basketball activities. However, he remains several weeks away from returning, as he is expected to make his season debut in six-to-nine weeks.
If Edey is ready to play in six weeks, he would be back in early November. The more conservative end of that time frame would see the former Purdue star return around the end of that month.
Jackson, who had surgery in July to repair a turf toe issue, will also begin ramping up his on-court activities. He’s expected to return in four-to-six weeks, which means he could miss a little bit of time to open ’25/26.
On a more positive note, first-round pick Cedric Coward will be a full training camp participant after recovering from a left shoulder injury he sustained last year at Washington State.
With Clarke, Edey and Jackson likely to miss the start of the season, Memphis’ frontcourt depth will be tested early on. Santi Aldama and Jock Landale are among the players who could receive more playing time in their stead.
Grizzlies Rookie Cedric Coward “100% Cleared” After Rotator Cuff Surgery
First-round pick Cedric Coward confirms that he’s “100% cleared” for full basketball activity as the Grizzlies prepare to open training camp at the end of the month, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required).
Coward appeared Saturday at a Memphis Redbirds minor league baseball game, where he handled first-pitch duties and signed autographs along with fellow Grizzlies rookie Javon Small. Coward told Cole that he received complete clearance from the team’s medical staff in August.
“I feel good,” he said. “The workouts we’re doing now, I feel great in them.”
A partially torn rotator cuff limited Coward to six games at Washington State last season. He underwent surgery, but said he felt fine by the draft, and Memphis was willing to trade up to the No. 11 pick to take him.
However, he didn’t participate in the Las Vegas Summer League as the team determined he wasn’t ready to play at the time.
Coward isn’t expected to be under any restrictions heading into camp, and he said he’s “super excited” for the team’s first preseason game on October 6.
“That’s the best thing ever,” he said. “I haven’t played live competition since November. … For me, I do it every day now that I can. I don’t have to hold anything back. I don’t got people telling me to take a break and stuff. It’s like letting the wolves out. That’s what it is.”
Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward Signs Rookie Scale Contract
The Grizzlies have signed former Washington State forward Cedric Coward to his rookie scale contract, according to the official NBA.com transaction log.
Coward played just six games for the Cougars in 2024/25 before suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the remainder of his senior season. He averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 55.7% from the floor and 40.0% on three-pointers during his abridged stint with the Cougars.
Before transferring to Washington State, the 6’6″ wing played two years at Eastern Washington, averaging 11.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 66 games. He spent his freshman season at Willamette University in Oregon.
After acquiring the 16th overall pick in their Desmond Bane trade with Orlando, the Grizzlies used a future first-rounder to move up five more spots on draft night to snag Coward with the No. 11 overall pick.
Coward is considered doubtful to play in Summer League this month as he continues to recover from that shoulder injury that cost him most of ’24/25, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp.
As our rookie scale breakdown shows, the Grizzlies rookie figures to earn a first-year salary of $5.7MM and a four-year total of $26.3MM.
Of this year’s 30 first-round picks, 29 have now signed their rookie scale contracts. No. 22 overall pick Drake Powell, whose trade to Brooklyn was just finalized on Monday, figures to make it a perfect 30 for 30 very soon.
Western Notes: Nuggets, Lakers, Coward, Queen, Jazz
After former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone spent years asking for more veteran depth, Denver’s new top decision-makers – led by general manager Ben Tenzer – have made the sort of moves this offseason that he would’ve appreciated, as Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst write for ESPN.com.
Even with Jonas Valanciunas‘ NBA future up in the air, the Nuggets did well to bring back Bruce Brown and add Tim Hardaway Jr. on minimum-salary deals. Executives around the league also took notice of their decision to part with their lone tradable future first-round pick (2032) and forward Michael Porter Jr. in a deal that netted them Cameron Johnson and took them out of the tax.
“That was a prized asset they gave up,” one general manager told ESPN, referencing the unprotected 2032 pick. “Teams have been eyeing that one to see if they’d actually use it.”
“I know Cam Johnson has some past health issues, but Porter’s back issues and knee issues make this move make sense to me,” another executive said to ESPN. “I think Cam and (Nikola) Jokic will connect on the floor well. They both think the game the same way.”
That last point could be an important one, according to one rival GM: “There is only one person who needs to be impressed with their offseason. That’s Jokic. Sometimes the best trades you make are the ones that engage your superstar. If Jokic is energized by those moves, then it was a great summer.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Within that same ESPN.com story, Bontemps and Windhorst check in on the Lakers, noting that the club has received a handful of inquiries from “eyebrow-raised” teams following Rich Paul‘s cryptic statement accompanying LeBron James‘ opt-in. There’s nothing happening on that front for now, but teams will certainly monitor the situation, according to ESPN’s duo, who add that there was a “small bidding war” early in free agency for forward Jake LaRavia. He ultimately agreed to join the Lakers.
- No. 11 overall pick Cedric Coward, whom the Grizzlies traded up to draft, is doubtful to play in Summer League this month, a team spokesperson told Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Coward is still making his way back from a shoulder injury that limited him to just six games at Washington State last season. While the 21-year-old said last week that he feels ready to play, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman told reporters at the time that the rookie wing had only done 1-on-0 work and would need to take part in 5-on-5 drills to be fully cleared.
- When the Pelicans faced criticism in the wake of last week’s draft, it was more about giving up a valuable unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots from No. 23 to No. 13 than about the player they chose to pick at that spot. But big man Derik Queen is still taking that criticism personally and using it as motivation, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “I don’t think anybody in that class ever is going to be better than me,” Queen said. “I block all the noise out. (Pelicans head of basketball operations) Joe (Dumars) has got a lot of faith in me. Most of these guys (in the draft), I beat in high school. It doesn’t really matter. I know the NBA is a whole different level. Don’t get too big-headed. Don’t get too low. And just beat on them next year when they come in, and make Joe look like a genius.”
- Chuck Terrell, who had been working for the Jazz as their vice president of basketball intelligence, has left that position to become the general manager of Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball program, agent Andy Miller tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Draft Notes: Second-Round Mocks, Round-One Winners, Trades
With round one of the 2025 NBA draft in the books, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo look ahead to what to expect on day two on Thursday, sharing an updated 29-pick mock draft covering the second round.
ESPN’s duo is projecting the Timberwolves to kick off the evening by nabbing Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming at No. 31, with Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud going to the Celtics at No. 32, and the Hornets drafting Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and French forward Noah Penda with their picks at No. 33 and No. 34.
Still, Givony and Woo acknowledge that we’ll likely see plenty of draft-pick movement on Thursday, potentially involving one or more of those first few selections — Givony singles out the Hornets as a team to watch, noting that the club already added a pair of rookies on Wednesday (Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley) and may not want to add two more to their roster at the start of the second round.
Addressing their favorite under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on during the second round, Givony mentions Penda as an ideal draft-and-stash target for a playoff team drafting in the 30s, though the 20-year-old would likely prefer to come stateside right away. Woo, meanwhile, suggests Florida State wing Jamir Watkins could be a perfect win-now fit for a team in the 30s. ESPN’s mock has him going to the Pacers at No. 38.
Here’s more on the 2025 draft as we prepare for Thursday evening’s second round:
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has also shared an updated mock draft for the second round that starts with Fleming to Minnesota and Raynaud to Boston. Vecenie has the Hornets nabbing Sion James and Kalkbrenner, with Penda going to the Nets at No. 36 and Watkins sliding to the Cavaliers at No. 49.
- A panel of ESPN experts, including Givony and Woo, breaks down the biggest winners, most surprising moves, and best picks from day one of the draft. ESPN’s experts liked the Suns taking Khaman Maluach at No. 10, the Spurs getting Carter Bryant at No. 14, and the Heat nabbing Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20, but questioned the Pelicans‘ decision to give up a valuable unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots to take Derik Queen at No. 13.
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports isn’t as high on the Jakucionis pick for the Heat, giving them a D+, his lowest grade for any of the top 30 picks. The Grizzlies, conversely, earned an A++ grade from O’Connor for moving up to snag Washington State’s Cedric Coward at No. 11.
- The price paid by teams like the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Jazz to move up a few spots outside of the top 10 on Wednesday was awfully high, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic. New Orleans and Memphis gave up unprotected future first-round picks to move up 10 and five spots, respectively, with the Grizzlies also surrendering two future second-rounders. The 2026 first-rounder sent from New Orleans to the Hawks is considered a “superfirst” because it’ll be the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks — it’s very possible one of those picks will end up being a pretty high one, Hollinger notes. Utah, meanwhile, didn’t give up a future first, but had to part with three second-round picks to move up just three spots from No. 21 to No. 18.