Memphis Grizzlies NBA Draft grades roundup: Experts mostly pleased with Grizzlies' picks
The Memphis Grizzlies made three trades and four selections in Thursday's NBA Draft, utilizing two first-round picks, including the final part of the Mike Conley trade to Utah in 2019, to acquire Wake Forest's Jake LaRavia and Colorado State's David Roddy.
It's difficult to get completely sterling grades outside of the lottery, but most experts were generally pleased with the Grizzlies' picks. Kennedy Chandler, Roddy and LaRavia were mentioned as quality selections at their pick values.
Let's dive in:
Colin Ward-Henninger, CBS Sports: B+
Why? "... Memphis wouldn't have traded up if they weren't convinced it was worth it. Chandler was a nice get in the second round, and all three appear to be Grizzlies-style players: tough and versatile." (CBSSports.com)
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Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer: B for LaRavia, A+ for Roddy
Why? On LaRavia: "With a point guard like Ja Morant, it’s critical to surround him with bigger playmakers. Desmond Bane provides some of that. LaRravia can be another piece." (The Ringer)
On Roddy: "Kleiman has proved he doesn’t care about where any other teams or public draft analysts like myself rank players. Roddy’s so skilled for a player with such an unusual NBA body." (The Ringer)
Krysten Peek, Yahoo! Sports: B for LaRavia, B- for Roddy
Why? On LaRavia: "LaRavia is a solid role player and can play the stretch four and has all the tools to be a solid role player in the NBA. The Grizzlies have a set roster and took a safe, reliable wing in LaRavia." (Yahoo! Sports)
On Roddy: "Roddy moves better for his size and has a decent outside shot for the power forward position. He's a hard worker that will give decent minutes off the bench behind Stephen Adams and Jaren Jackson Jr." (Yahoo! Sports)
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated: A- for LaRavia, B+ for Roddy
Why? On LaRavia: "LaRavia was a favorite amongst analytically-minded teams like Memphis who valued his ability on both ends of the ball, and he should fit quite nicely as a potential replacement for Kyle Anderson." (Sports Illustrated)
On Roddy: "He has a solid pass-dribble-shoot skill set tied up in a football body, and could wind up as a feasible replacement for Dillon Brooks in Memphis." (Sports Illustrated)
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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies NBA Draft grades roundup: Experts pleased with picks
