Grizzlies trade for No. 19 pick
Grizzlies get:
Jake LaRavia (No. 19 pick in 2022)
Future second-round pick
Timberwolves get:
Walker Kessler (No. 22 pick in 2022)
TyTy Washington Jr. (No. 29 pick in 2022)
Did trading an additional first-round pick to move up three spots for Wake Forest forward Jake LaRavia make sense for the Grizzlies?
Continuing a tradition under 2021-22 NBA executive of the year Zach Kleiman, the Grizzlies dealt the No. 22 and No. 29 picks in the first round to the Timberwolves for the No. 19 pick. As Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian noted, every Memphis first-round pick under Kleiman except taking Ja Morant with the second pick in 2019 has come after a trade up.
Although the jury is still out on last year's deals for forward Ziaire Williams and center Santi Aldama, the Grizzlies did well to maneuver into position to take versatile big men Brandon Clarke (2019) and Xavier Tillman Sr. (2020 second round) and have gotten huge returns from 2020 first-round pick Desmond Bane.
On the flip side, the Timberwolves undoubtedly have to feel great about picking up an extra first-round pick in exchange for moving back just three spots and sending out a future second-rounder.
Memphis: C
Unless the second-round pick the Grizzlies are getting ultimately lands in the top handful of picks in the round, Memphis will lose it from a value perspective according to my trade value chart of what NBA draft picks are worth. No. 22 and No. 29 are worth a combined 1,550 points based on typical production for those picks above and beyond their salary, as compared to 1,120 points for the No. 19 pick.
The Grizzlies have shown they're less concerned about maximizing value than getting their guy, a strategy that has generally worked out for them. Memphis was also well positioned to make a 2-for-1 deal. The Grizzlies entered the night with 12 players under contract and the two first-rounders plus a couple of rotation free agents (Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones) they might want to re-sign. Trading De'Anthony Melton for the No. 23 pick and injured wing Danny Green in a subsequent trade only deepened the roster crunch.
At this stage of the draft, it's awfully optimistic for a team to believe it can improve its chances of hitting on an individual pick by moving up a few spots. Although Memphis won its 2019 trade up for Clarke, three years later it now looks like the Boston Celtics got the better player in a similar draft-night move from No. 20 to No. 22, taking Grant Williams when the Philadelphia 76ers moved up for Matisse Thybulle.
Minnesota: A-
From the Timberwolves' perspective, this move looks like an easy call. Minnesota moved down three spots and still ended up with the player ESPN's Jonathan Givony had projected to them at No. 19, Auburn center Walker Kessler. Assuming the Timberwolves planned to take Kessler either way, they were able to convert a future second-round pick into a first-rounder for nothing.
Later, Minnesota added a couple more future second-rounders to move up three spots from No. 29 to No. 26 and add Duke forward Wendell Moore Jr.
Grizzlies trade for No. 19 pick
Grizzlies get:
Jake LaRavia (No. 19 pick in 2022)
Future second-round pick
Timberwolves get:
Walker Kessler (No. 22 pick in 2022)
TyTy Washington Jr. (No. 29 pick in 2022)
Did trading an additional first-round pick to move up three spots for Wake Forest forward Jake LaRavia make sense for the Grizzlies?
Continuing a tradition under 2021-22 NBA executive of the year Zach Kleiman, the Grizzlies dealt the No. 22 and No. 29 picks in the first round to the Timberwolves for the No. 19 pick. As Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian noted, every Memphis first-round pick under Kleiman except taking Ja Morant with the second pick in 2019 has come after a trade up.
Although the jury is still out on last year's deals for forward Ziaire Williams and center Santi Aldama, the Grizzlies did well to maneuver into position to take versatile big men Brandon Clarke (2019) and Xavier Tillman Sr. (2020 second round) and have gotten huge returns from 2020 first-round pick Desmond Bane.
On the flip side, the Timberwolves undoubtedly have to feel great about picking up an extra first-round pick in exchange for moving back just three spots and sending out a future second-rounder.
Memphis: C
Unless the second-round pick the Grizzlies are getting ultimately lands in the top handful of picks in the round, Memphis will lose it from a value perspective according to my trade value chart of what NBA draft picks are worth. No. 22 and No. 29 are worth a combined 1,550 points based on typical production for those picks above and beyond their salary, as compared to 1,120 points for the No. 19 pick.
The Grizzlies have shown they're less concerned about maximizing value than getting their guy, a strategy that has generally worked out for them. Memphis was also well positioned to make a 2-for-1 deal. The Grizzlies entered the night with 12 players under contract and the two first-rounders plus a couple of rotation free agents (Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones) they might want to re-sign. Trading De'Anthony Melton for the No. 23 pick and injured wing Danny Green in a subsequent trade only deepened the roster crunch.
At this stage of the draft, it's awfully optimistic for a team to believe it can improve its chances of hitting on an individual pick by moving up a few spots. Although Memphis won its 2019 trade up for Clarke, three years later it now looks like the Boston Celtics got the better player in a similar draft-night move from No. 20 to No. 22, taking Grant Williams when the Philadelphia 76ers moved up for Matisse Thybulle.
Minnesota: A-
From the Timberwolves' perspective, this move looks like an easy call. Minnesota moved down three spots and still ended up with the player ESPN's Jonathan Givony had projected to them at No. 19, Auburn center Walker Kessler. Assuming the Timberwolves planned to take Kessler either way, they were able to convert a future second-round pick into a first-rounder for nothing.
Later, Minnesota added a couple more future second-rounders to move up three spots from No. 29 to No. 26 and add Duke forward Wendell Moore Jr.
