Sycamores

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that wing Desmond Bane has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain, which he sustained during the third quarter of the Grizzlies' Jan. 12 game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He will be re-evaluated in six weeks.
The team also announced that forward Jake LaRavia has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 high left ankle sprain, which he sustained during the first quarter of the Grizzlies' Jan. 13 game against the New York Knicks. He will be re-evaluated again in three weeks.
Memphis recently announced that Ja Morant will be out for the remainder of the season due to torn labrum in his shoulder. The Grizzlies are currently 14-25, which is the third-worst record in the Western Conference.

Memphis Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain and will be re-evaluated in six weeks.

Grizzlies' Desmond Bane out at least 6 weeks due to ankle sprain

The trade deadline is fast approaching and the Memphis Grizzlies have to make an important decision.
Grizzlies general manager and executive vice president Zach Kleiman has been doing his best Marvel impression by living in a multiverse, attempting to walk out two timelines: contending and developing.
The core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane is in its third year together and, when healthy, is one of the top trios in the entire NBA. More importantly, only Jackson is beyond his rookie contract, as Morant and Bane are both still on rookie deals. This fact has led to a polarizing debate surrounding the Grizzlies.
When Memphis knocked the Golden State Warriors out of the first NBA Play-In Tournament, everyone raved at the "ahead-of-schedule" nature of this team. Last season, the team traded away Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams and a shot at developing Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama. Kleiman was trying to develop ancillary pieces while still putting a competitive product on the floor.
Morant and the Grizzlies surprised everyone, finishing with the second-best record in the league and pushing the eventual-champion Warriors to six games in arguably Golden State's toughest series last year. The "ahead-of-schedule" Grizzlies were still given a pass because they were young and overacheiving.&nbsp;
Memphis is still the second seed in the Western Conference despite losing eight of their last nine contests. Injuries have been a huge factor as Jackson (17 games), Bane (22), Adams (10) and Morant (8) have all missed time due to injury. With the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, the question is whether Kleiman will push the chips in and go for a title piece this year or continue on his multiverse timeline.
Re-signing Adams and Tyus Jones suggests Memphis is interested in contending. Trading away De'Anthony Melton, who struggled mightily in the postseason, suggests the same. Playing Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia is the organization attempting to sneak in development. It makes sense, as you have to find the right role players on affordable deals (in this case, rookie contracts) who can have winning impact around your big three.&nbsp;
But even if it makes sense, there is also the flip side. At some point, you are no longer ahead of schedule and overachieving. At some point, the schedule and timeline eventually readjust to the progress that has been made, and a new schedule begins. The Grizzlies are no longer up-and-coming. They are here and the league has adjusted, and so must Memphis.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
There have been social-media posts circling that the Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans both do not want their counterpart to land O.G. Anunoby, and that Memphis would be a perfect fit for OG. This Grizzlies front office has historically moved in silence, and nothing suggests it will overpay in a bidding war for a player who might&nbsp;move the needle toward a title.
Over the next few days, Kleiman will have to decide what is most important for the franchise entrusted to his leadership. The Grizzlies clearly need shooting (still) and perimeter defending &mdash; two things every team is looking for at all times.&nbsp;
Morant, Bane and Jackson are non-starters in any trade conversation (as they should be). They are a core that meshes beautifully. It's the pieces surrounding them that Kleiman has to be willing to part ways with.
One of the most polarizing players in the NBA is Dillon Brooks; you either hate him or you love him. He is on an expiring contract, with his days in Memphis possibly winding away. Brooks' antics on the court and refusal to accept his spot in the pecking order offensively at times have led many to wonder whether he is a long-term fit with the Grizzlies.
With Bane due for a near-max payday, Brooks could be traded at the deadline for assets or given the Kyle Anderson treatment, using his contributions for this run and letting his deal expire at season's end.
Then, there is Jones, who is often lauded as the best backup point guard in the NBA and basically a health-insurance policy for Morant. Memphis needs to send Tyus somewhere he can start and bring in a bigger combo guard who can help Bane run the non-Morant minutes.&nbsp;
Adams and Danny Green are the veterans on the roster who also have extremely tradeable contracts if Kleiman were to do some type of big-game hunting. Adams' presence has allowed Jackson to develop into the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he has become, but at some point, JJJ needs to become the full-time starting 5.&nbsp;
Williams and Xavier Tillman are pieces that Memphis should be willing to include to upgrade their roster. And as well as Memphis has done drafting the last few years, they should now be at the point in this process where first-round picks are on the table.&nbsp;
OUTLINING POTENTIAL TRADE IDEAS
I'm no trade-machine guru, but something along the lines of this framework makes sense for both teams:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-6-2023_1-05-25pm.png" alt="" width="685" height="337" />
Memphis gets to keep its primary defender in Brooks while adding a 24-year-old scorer to come off the bench. If the Toronto Raptors begin a fire sale, they get an expiring contract, two second-round picks (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjg0d7A8oP9AhVuFlkFHQ-iAGkQFnoECEQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoopshype.com%2F2023%2F02%2F03%2Fgary-trent-jr-s-trade-value-at-a-protected-first-round-pick-or-two-good-second-rounders%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EDYmp9Yp1qneXxEEdRIt_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trent's reported projected value</a>) and a player who fits their mold of lenghty wings.
The Grizz bench unit is currently 12th in the NBA in scoring at 35.5 points per contest, but is a minus-313 in scoring for the season. They are also 25th in three-point percentage (32.4%) in the league. Adding Gary Trent Jr. could bolster a glaring weakness if Memphis is to be a legitimate contender.&nbsp;
In the interest of getting assets in return for Brooks, Kleiman would likely be choosing to remain on the course of developing players, as Morant, Jackson and Bane are not yet in their primes. Memphis can recoup cheaper, more controllable assets by moving Dillon:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-25-52am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
In this scenario, Memphis takes a shot on Cam Reddish while finding the eventual Jones replacement in Immanuel Quickley. The Knicks get a perfect-fit player to go with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle in Brooks as they attempt to make a run in the Eastern Conference this postseason, plus a lottery-protected first-rounder from the Grizzlies via the Warriors (from the Andre Iguodala trade in July 2019.)
Speaking of replacing Jones, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins could use a defensive upgrade in the backcourt as well someone with a little more size:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-55-00am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
The Chicago Bulls are at a crossroads, and if they decide to start rebuilding the makeup of their roster, bringing in Jones as their starting point guard would not be the worst idea. The Grizzlies get two combo guards in Alex Caruso and Coby White in this trade framework.
White is playing the least amount of minutes of his career this season, and could afford a change of scenery. Caruso is a perfect fit for Memphis, as an athletic guard who can defend on the perimeter. This move also fits Kleiman's desire to flirt with two timelines.
These three trades could be a sequence of moves done at once, but there's a next-to-zero chance Memphis makes multiple moves at the deadline, if any. However, there are peripheral moves to be made for Memphis because it seems clear that standing pat and riding it out is no longer the right choice for this franchise.&nbsp;

Justin Lewis explains how the Grizzlies have to move ahead with contention and suggests three possible trades that could help.

Proposing 3 potential trades that could spark the Memphis Grizzlies

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Desmond Bane made six 3-pointers and scored 31 points as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the winless Sacramento Kings 125-110 on Thursday night.
&ldquo;Shots are falling,&rdquo; Bane said. &ldquo;Early on I was getting similar looks and now I kind of got my legs under me and (now) they&rsquo;re falling.&rdquo;
Ja Morant added 22 points, six assists and five rebounds for Memphis.
Earlier this week, Morant and Bane each scored 38 to help the Grizzlies beat Brooklyn 134-124.
&ldquo;Back-to-back performances show you how good he is,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t feel like I&rsquo;ve got to say it when you can see it.&rdquo;
Brandon Clarke had 16 points, Tyus Jones added 14 and Jake LaRavia scored 13 off the bench for the Grizzlies (4-1).
&ldquo;We talk about being ready to go,&rdquo; LaRavia said. &ldquo;Coming off the bench is a little bit harder but we came with energy and played with energy.&rdquo;
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox had 27 points and six rebounds to lead Sacramento. Harrison Barnes scored a season-high 20 points and rookie Keegan Murray added 18.
&ldquo;It was just the little things that killed us,&rdquo; Barnes said. &ldquo;Offensive rebounds ... 50/50 balls ... The theme in a lot of these games is close but not enough and eventually we&rsquo;ve got to get over the hump.&rdquo;
Domantas Sabonis finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Sabonis has three double-doubles this season.
The Kings trailed by 16 early in the fourth quarter and cut it to six with 9:22 left before Memphis pulled away.
Bane was a big reason.
&ldquo;Great two-game performance,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been playing great all season. ... I think his defense was really good as well. ... When he&rsquo;s in that zone, he&rsquo;s hard to stop.&rdquo;
Sacramento is 0-4 under first-year coach Mike Brown, its worst start since opening 0-5 during the 2019-20 campaign. The Kings have lost six straight to Memphis dating to the 2020-21 season.
The Kings are one of three winless teams in the NBA. The others are the Lakers and Magic.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a long season, so you don&rsquo;t want to put your head down after the first four games, but we know we have to turn this thing around and it&rsquo;s as simple as that,&rdquo; Fox said.
KENTUCKY CONNECTION
Fox and Malik Monk connected on alley-oops to each other on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter. They were backcourt mates during the 2016-17 season at Kentucky. This is Monk&rsquo;s first season in Sacramento after signing a $19 million, two-year deal last offseason.
MURRAY JOINS STARTING LINEUP
Murray made his first career start for Sacramento. The 22-year-old rookie from Iowa sat out the Kings&rsquo; season opener because of NBA health and safety protocols. He came off the bench against the Clippers and Warriors.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Memphis announced Wednesday that F Ziaire Williams will miss an additional four to six weeks because of patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Williams, the 10th pick in the 2021 draft out of Stanford, has yet to play this season. &hellip; Sacramento&rsquo;s bench was outscored 23-5 in the first half before receiving a spark from Monk.
Kings: F Chima Moneke became the first UC Davis basketball player to check into an NBA game. He played six minutes. &hellip; Sacramento ranked last in free throw percentage coming into Thursday. The Kings went 18 for 21 against Memphis.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Continue a four-game trip against Utah on Saturday.
Kings: Host the Miami Heat on Saturday.
___
More AP NBA:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

The Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Sacramento Kings.

Bane scores 31, Morant 22 as Grizzlies beat Kings 125-110

Before every season, I do my best to predict how I think the season will unfold &mdash; where teams will finish and who&rsquo;ll win each individual award. Heck, I even try my hand at predicting the All-NBA/Rookie/Defensive Teams.
Those efforts are generally meaningless; you can never truly account for injuries or transactions, for example, which makes it nearly impossible to truly nail these things down. Still, it&rsquo;s incredibly fun to take a look at the landscape of the league and make educated guesses.
Normally, I&rsquo;d thread my predictions on Twitter since it&rsquo;s a quick and easy way to get those thoughts out into the world. The issue is explaining controversial picks with a character limit; if you&rsquo;ve been on the app for any amount of time, you know how quickly discussions can go left.
Instead, I&rsquo;ve turned my predictions into an article. It&rsquo;ll be easier to track my predictions, and I have the space to explain my reasoning in a more thorough manner.&nbsp;
If you want to laugh at last year's edition &mdash; in which I had the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals &mdash; you can do so <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202122-nba-season-and-award-predictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
If you want deeper thoughts on your favorite team, read our season previews for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-atlantic-division-boston-celtics-brooklyn-nets-new-york-knicks-philadelphia-76ers-sixers-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlantic Division</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-northwest-division-denver-nuggets-minnesota-timberwolves-oklahoma-city-okc-thunder-portland-trail-blazers-utah-jazz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northwest Division</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-central-division-chicago-bulls-cleveland-cavaliers-detroit-pistons-indiana-pacers-milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Division</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-pacific-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacific Division</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-southeast-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southeast Division</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-southwest-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southwest Division</a>.
Without further ado, here&rsquo;s how I see things going this season.
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Joel Embiid (PHI)
Defensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Bam Adebayo (MIA)
Rookie of the Year: Paolo Banchero (ORL)
Sixth Man of the Year: Jordan Poole (GSW)
Most Improved Player: Precious Achiuwa (TOR)
Coach of the Year: Ty Lue (LAC)
- This kinda has to be the year for Embiid, no? Back-to-back second-place finishes set the stage for him to grab one if he proves healthy. This is arguably the most talented cast he's had around him. If he's healthy and commits defensively like he said he wants to, an MVP-DPOY combo isn't out of the question.
- Adebayo is the&nbsp;switch big in the NBA, one of a handful of players that can legitimately defend all five positions. Missed games hurt his case last season, but I think the award is his if he plays 65-plus games.&nbsp;
- Banchero should lead all rookies in scoring &mdash; well, unless Bennedict Mathurin pulls it off. The bucket-getting, plus playmaking chops, on a team that I think will be better than most people expect should give him a clear pathway to the award.
- I have a couple of sleepers-that-aren't-sleepers; keep an eye on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-intreview-bruce-brown-feeling-secure-in-new-role-denver-nuggets-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bruce Brown</a> and Brandon Clarke. Ultimately, Poole should lead all bench players in scoring &mdash; and do so efficiently &mdash; while racking up wins on one of the best teams in the league.
- Lue's been a top-three coach for a while now. Getting a 10-plus win improvement (even if it's health-related) while sorting out the rotation of a roster with 13 NBA-level talents would be a pretty strong case.
Team Awards
ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM:&nbsp;Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid
ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM:&nbsp;Trae Young, Ja Morant, Paul George, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic
ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM:&nbsp;Devin Booker, Jimmy Butler, Pascal Siakam, LeBron James, Bam Adebayo
ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM: Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges, Draymond Green, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid
ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM: Jrue Holiday, Herb Jones, Jimmy Butler, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert
ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM: Jaden Ivey, Bennedict Mathurin, Keegan Murray, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero
ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM:&nbsp;Jalen Williams, Jake LaRavia, Jeremy Sochan, Tari Eason, Jalen Duren
- For the All-NBA Teams, apologies are due, but not limited to: Kawhi Leonard (rest days, deep class), Rudy Gobert (deep class), Karl-Anthony Towns (deep class), Anthony Davis (injury, deep class), Chris Paul (deep class, likely regression), Kyrie Irving (deep class), Brandon Ingram (deep class), Zion Williamson (missed time), Bradley Beal (team record), Jaylen Brown (deep class) and Anthony Edwards (deep class).
- Until the ballot becomes positionless &mdash; or at least until they give us two backcourt and three frontcourt options like the All-Star ballot &mdash; a center will get screwed. I think Embiid gets MVP this year, so Jokic falls to the Second Team. They aren't forwards, and won't be played as forwards. I'm not goin'.
- This will be the Herb Jones year if he's healthy. Should've been last year, but I'll save that rant for another day. While we're on second-year players, it wouldn't shock me at all if Evan Mobley makes serious noise in this regard too.
- The All-Rookie First Team seems pretty straightforward. A solid mix of talent and opportunity on the board.
- The LaRavia pick might be spicy, especially if the defense doesn't come along quickly enough. I do think there's enough shooting and connective playmaking there that he could earn consistent ticks in Memphis.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Eastern Conference
TOP SIX
<ol>
<li>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</li>
<li>BOSTON CELTICS</li>
<li>MILWAUKEE BUCKS</li>
<li>MIAMI HEAT</li>
<li>CLEVELAND CAVALIERS</li>
<li>TORONTO RAPTORS</li>
</ol>
- This should be a darn good year for the Sixers. Talented top-four &mdash; I'm really here for this decisive version of Tobias Harris &mdash; and more defensive talent on the roster.
- I get the depth/age concerns for the Bucks, but, like, Giannis. Top-10 offense and defense should be in play for them.
- Questions at the 3 aside, the Cavs should be incredibly annoying to deal with. All that size defensively, then the pull-up chops on the other end from Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell? Whew.
PLAY-IN TERRITORY
<ol start="7">
<li>BROOKLYN NETS</li>
<li>ATLANTA HAWKS</li>
<li>CHICAGO BULLS</li>
<li>NEW YORK KNICKS</li>
</ol>
- Seventh feels right for Brooklyn considering the strength of the conference and the early absences of Joe Harris and Seth Curry. I must say, though, I like what they're establishing scheme-wise. A top-four seed wouldn't surprise me at all.
THE REST
<ol start="11">
<li>ORLANDO MAGIC</li>
<li>WASHINGTON WIZARDS</li>
<li>DETROIT PISTONS</li>
<li>CHARLOTTE HORNETS</li>
<li>INDIANA PACERS</li>
</ol>
- I'm prepared to take my L, but I'm high on the Magic this year. There's so much skilled size on the roster. The defense should be solid, and there's enough playmaking and shot creation to make things interesting offensively.
- Already making a change from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-145-southeast-division-preview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southeast Division preview pod</a>; I think the Hornets will be worse than the Wizards. Post-pod, I felt I was too harsh on Washington. Since then, we've gotten a LaMelo Ball ankle turn and a James Bouknight arrest, and we've still heard nothing on the Miles Bridges front (he shouldn't be there). They're closer to the bottom for me now.
- I entered training camp ready to plant the "Pistons make the Play-In" flag, but I feel really uneasy about their switching scheme. That, and the half-court offense is going to take some time to come together. Next year, though!
Western Conference 
TOP SIX
<ol>
<li>GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS</li>
<li>PHOENIX SUNS</li>
<li>DENVER NUGGETS</li>
<li>LA CLIPPERS</li>
<li>MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES</li>
<li>DALLAS MAVERICKS</li>
</ol>
- An uptick of shooting from Curry, a healthier version of Klay Thompson and growth from the youth should lead to bundles of regular-season wins.
- Despite the ugly postseason ending and offseason hoopla, the Suns have a formula (and talent, obviously) to churn out regular-season wins. Let's not overreact.
- Early spoiler: I think the Clippers have the most talented roster in the league. I think star maintenance and lineup tinkering have them closer to No. 6 than No. 1 in the standings.
PLAY-IN TERRITORY
<ol start="7">
<li>MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES</li>
<li>NEW ORLEANS PELICANS</li>
<li>LA LAKERS</li>
<li>PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS</li>
</ol>
- The Pels! They should be electric offensively. Defensively, they have pieces I like &mdash; hello Mr. Jones, Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance Jr. &mdash; but we'll see how they hold up as a unit.
- I have some real questions about the Lakers' shooting talent and the Westbrook fit &mdash; and how long he'll even be there. There's an obvious upside for more if things break right.
- It hasn't been from a lack of effort, but trying to build a defense around a Damian Lillard-Anfernee Simons-Jusuf Nurkic core is just a tough thing to do.&nbsp;
THE REST
<ol start="11">
<li>SACRAMENTO KINGS</li>
<li>HOUSTON ROCKETS</li>
<li>OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER</li>
<li>UTAH JAZZ</li>
<li>SAN ANTONIO SPURS</li>
</ol>
- If the Fightin' KZs Kings are able to defend well enough &mdash; and by that, I mean, like 21st in Defensive Rating &mdash; don't be surprised if they nab 10th. The offense should be good enough to make a push.
- The Rockets are a year of development (and roster consolidation) away from making a Play-In push, I think.
Eastern Conference Playoffs
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
Nets &gt; Hawks for 7th.
Bulls &gt; Knicks for 9th.
Hawks &gt; Bulls for 8th.
- A sad end for the Bulls here, but this is simply the strength of the conference. It'll be tremendous fun watching Young try to create space against Alex Caruso or Ayo Dosunmu at the point of attack.
FIRST ROUND
(1) Sixers &gt; (8) Hawks in 5.
(4) Heat &gt; (5) Cavs in 6.&nbsp;
(2) Celtics &gt; (7) Nets in 7.
(3) Bucks &gt; (6) Raptors in 6.&nbsp;
- With the Sixers adding to their defensive personnel and the Hawks looking a little worse in the shooting department, I think the chances of an(other) upset are pretty slim.
- The Nets fare better the second time around against Brooklyn, but I still don't think they have enough defenders to deal with Boston. Should be the best series of the first round, though.
- Bucks-Raptors will be a slugfest; ultimately, I don't know if the Raptors will have the half-court juice to pull things out.&nbsp;
SECOND ROUND
(1) Sixers &gt; (4) Heat in 6.
(3) Bucks &gt; (2) Celtics in 7.
- A pair of second-round sequels with the results flipped! Having Khris Middleton back &mdash; and a little more size, shooting and playmaking with Joe Ingles &mdash; gives the Bucks the boost they need to squeeze by. If Philly's healthy, I struggle to see Miami containing all three of Embiid, Harden and Maxey.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
(3) Bucks &gt; (1) Sixers in 6.
- Bucks steal home court in Game 1 and close the deal at home in Game 6. They have the size to make Embiid think and a defender in Holiday to either hound Maxey or absorb some of Harden's strength-based drives.
Western Conference Playoffs
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT&nbsp;
Pelicans &gt; Wolves for 7th.&nbsp;
Lakers &gt; Blazers for 9th.&nbsp;
Wolves &gt; Lakers for 8th.
- I went back and forth on the Lakers-Wolves game. Still don't feel great about it, but I think the Wolves take care of business at home.
FIRST ROUND
(1) Warriors &gt; (8) Wolves in 4.
(4) Clippers &gt; (5) Grizzlies in 6.
(3) Nuggets &gt; (6) Mavericks in 6.
(2) Suns &gt; (7) Pelicans in 6.
- Clippers-Grizzlies feels like Storm-Mystics from this year's WNBA playoffs; there's no way one of these teams should be knocked out of the first round. I'd worry about the Grizzlies' half-court offense against LA's defense.
- Sign me up for all the half-court goodness Luka and Jokic would provide. Denver's just better if they're healthy.
-&nbsp;I wouldn't be shocked at the Suns/Pelicans result being flipped, but I have too many questions about New Orleans' defense right now to give them a series win.
SECOND ROUND
(4) Clippers &gt; (1) Warriors in 6.
(3) Nuggets &gt; (2) Suns in 7.
- Might be the most controversial pick on the board, but I trust the Clippers' length and switchability to make life a little difficult in the half-court. With Kahwi in the fold, they should be able to mismatch hunt late and eke out a close series.
- Deandre Ayton has defended Jokic well in the past; I think the added/healthy firepower around him may make the Nuggets' offense too much to deal with.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
(4) Clippers &gt; (3) Nuggets in 6.
- A bubble rematch! Jokic likely wrecks havoc, but I think the depth and shooting of the Clippers shine through.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
NBA Finals
(3) Bucks &gt; (4) Clippers in 6.
- Deepest team in the league facing an experienced group headlined by the best player in basketball. I think interior size swings it for Giannis and the Bucks.

Nekias Duncan gives his way-too-early predictions for the 2022-23 NBA season.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA season and award predictions

Nekias Duncan previews the Mavericks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Pelicans and Spurs ahead of the 2022-23 NBA campaign.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

DETROIT (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant had 31 points and eight rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies closed out their preseason with a 126-111 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
Desmond Bane went 1 for 7 from 3-point range and finished with 16 points for Memphis. Brandon Clarke also scored 16 points while playing extended minutes after starting center Stephen Adams left with a sore neck.
Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 17 points and eight rebounds. Isaiah Stewart had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Cade Cunningham had 15 points and six assists. Kevin Knox II finished with 13 points as Detroit went winless in four preseason games.
The Pistons played without center Marvin Bagley III, who suffered a sprained MCL in the first minute of Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to Oklahoma City. Bagley is expected to miss two to three weeks. Stewart started at center.
Both teams went with their usual starters in their final preseason game and stayed close to expected rotations through the first three quarters.
The Grizzlies used their backcourt duo of Morant and Bane for an offensive burst in the first half, while Stewart kept the Pistons close. Morant scored 15 points in the third as Memphis built its lead before Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins went to his reserves with three minutes left in the period and finished out the game.
Memphis rookies David Roddy and Jake LaRavia scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey, the fifth overall pick in the draft, had seven points, going 3 of 11 from the field, including missing all four of his 3-points attempts.
Adams was injured in a scrum under the Memphis basket and went straight to the locker room just before halftime. He didn't return.
Memphis finished the preseason 3-2 and opens the season next Wednesday, hosting the New York Knicks. Detroit also opens the regular season on Wednesday, playing at home against the Orlando Magic.
THUNDER 118, SPURS 112
In San Antonio, rookie Jalen Williams, the 12th overall draft pick from Santa Clara, had 19 points and Josh Giddey added 18 and six assists as Oklahoma City pulled away at the end to beat the Spurs.
Tre Mann finished with 17 points for Oklahoma City. Jaylin Williams, the 34th pick out of Arkansas, grabbed 11 rebounds.
Joshua Primo, a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, had 23 points to lead San Antonio, converting 8 of 12 shots. Keldon Johnson added 19 points and Devin Vassell had 18.
San Antonio's Jakob Poeltl made all four of his shots and finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The game was tight throughout the second half after the teams went into halftime tied at 62. From there, neither team managed to stretch its advantage to double digits.
The game was tied at 110 with 3:24 left, but San Antonio managed only two points the rest of the way.
The Spurs open the season at home on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets. The Thunder start regular-season play the same night on the road in Minnesota against the Timberwolves.

Ja Morant had 31 points and 8 rebounds as the Grizzlies closed out their preseason with a 126-111 victory over the Pistons.

Ja Morant nets 31, leads Grizzlies to win in preseason finale

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have more experience now along with some painful postseason heartbreak.
What matters most for these still very young Grizzlies? What's next. And they want it all.
"It's no pressure for us,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;We didn't win the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">championship</a>. So for us, it&rsquo;s pretty much going to the next level, continuing to improve and go win a championship.&rdquo;
Sounds simple enough for a team that got every point last season from players not yet 30 and still posted the NBA's second-best record. The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-c8beab862cb1cad6ca568396f01352a2">Grizzlies beat Minnesota in six games</a> for their first playoff series win since 2016.
They <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-memphis-grizzlies-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-e489a3f8659878f25878897f85528b83">lost to Golden State in the Western Conference semifinals in six games,</a> the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-jordan-poole-5d6963a01c0f84c7421c9f4ff7711011">last three with Morant sidelined</a> by an injured knee. The Grizzlies took that loss as an eye-opening look at just what it takes to play deep into the NBA postseason.
&ldquo;We understand the habits and the foundation and things we have to develop in order to make that run and make it happen,&rdquo; guard Desmond Bane said.
Memphis set a high bar. The Grizzlies won a franchise-record 56 wins and their first division title while also locking up the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
MORANT'S CLIMB
The point guard has gone from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-memphis-grizzlies-la-state-wire-basketball-nba-1f9601f7d611cefcfbc6a64d7b5f5fb7">NBA Rookie of the Year</a> to an All Star and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-ab99752f256668274bb16e1b325e6648">Most Improved Player</a> in his third season. He wants much more, though Morant will only say stay tuned for opening night Oct. 19 against the New York Knicks to see exactly what he spent this offseason working to improve.
Morant has talked about trying to build up his body to better survive driving to the bucket. Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant came to the the staff at season's end with a list of areas he had targeted, including 3-point shooting.
The All-Star also has seen the player rankings and made very clear he's not satisfied.
&ldquo;I got eight more spots to go,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s another one of my motivation coming in at nine. I&rsquo;m trying to be No. 1.&rdquo;
PACK OF GRIZZLIES
General manager Zach Kleiman said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-basketball-3a5646f4f496552a446219403a63d866">last spring that controlling owner Robert Pera</a> would pay to keep the team's core group together. Kleiman <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-9133154cdb4253d6dfebf0e68279b4c7">signed Morant to a five-year super max contract</a> and John Konchar got an extension this offseason.
Center Steven Adams got a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-new-orleans-pelicans-nba-sports-zealand-29bc4d91c2b60f014b722d392cb890b7">two-year extension early</a> in training camp. Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke are in the final years of their contracts. Kleiman said the team feels strongly about those players.
&ldquo;We view them as as potential long term pieces of this group, and we&rsquo;ll see how things play out,&rdquo; Kleiman said.
FILL-IN FOR JJJ
With Jaren Jackson Jr. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-jaren-jackson-3ada4d806e6023bae47277cc09c0fbc9">recovering from surgery to fix a stress fracture in his right foot</a>, the Grizzlies will need a fill-in for the power forward coming off his best season yet. Options include Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke or possibly rookie David Roddy.
Jenkins mentioned top draft pick Jake LaRavia as an option when Memphis goes with a smaller lineup. When Jackson returns, he has a big goal for himself: Being voted Defensive Player of the Year after being named to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-memphis-grizzlies-phoenix-suns-nba-sports-0e0cd47bf7962a3d17e2c5133afa78a3">NBA&rsquo;s All-Defensive first team</a>.
BANE'S SHOOTING
The 30th pick out of TCU in the 2020 draft finished fifth in the voting for Most Improved Player in his second season. Bane leads the NBA shooting 46.4% outside the arc with a minimum of 600 attempts since he entered the league.
Bane also set the franchise record making 228 3s last season, and he also ranks third in NBA playoff history making seven or more 3s in consecutive games. That puts him in the company of Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
New Grizzlies teammate Danny Green said he's been a fan since Bane entered the league.
&ldquo;The way he&rsquo;s built it doesn&rsquo;t look like he should be a basketball player,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;But he&rsquo;s very effective. It&rsquo;s crazy to see that he shoots shoot the ball very well with, you know, how strong he is and how compact he is.&rdquo;
STAT LEADERS
Memphis led the NBA in rebounds, steals and blocks, the league's first team to do that in each category since steals and blocks became official stats in 1973-74. The Grizzlies also led the NBA in points scored in the paint, second-chance points, fast-break points and offensive rebounds.

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have more experience now along with some painful postseason heartbreak.

Grizzlies, Ja Morant set sights higher after Western semis loss

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Rookie David Roddy scored 18 points, two-way signee Kenny Lofton Jr. added 17 and the Memphis Grizzlies used a late run to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 107-102 on Saturday night in the opening preseason game for both teams.
Many of the star players for both teams didn&rsquo;t play. Milwaukee All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, forward Khris Middleton and guard Joe Ingles, who came over from Utah in a late-season trade after he was injured, were among those not dressing. Even Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer was out, still recovering from offseason ankle surgery.
Leading scorer Ja Morant, backup Tyus Jones, center Steven Adams and starting guard Desmond Bane were among the Grizzlies who sat.
Jake LaRavia, another Memphis rookie, scored 15 points, while Santi Aldama scored 13. Ziaire Williams and rookie point guard Kennedy Chandler added 11 points each, Chandler handing out eight assists.
Jordan Nwora scored 21 points, while Grayson Allen and Sandro Mamukelashvili, under a two-way contract with Milwaukee, each finished with 15.
It was the first appearance for both teams after successful 2021-22 campaigns. The Bucks finished 51-31, good for third in the Eastern Conference, while Memphis had the second-best record in the NBA at 56-26.
Both teams were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the eventual conference champions &ndash; Golden State in the West and Boston in the East.
ADAMS EXTENDED
Earlier Saturday, the Grizzlies announced they have signed center Steven Adams to a multi-year extension.
Adams, who joined the Grizzlies before last season in a trade from New Orleans, averaged 6.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists for Memphis.

David Roddy scored 18 points, Kenny Lofton Jr. added 17 and the Grizzlies used a late run to beat the Bucks 107-102 on Saturday.

Rookies lead Grizzlies over Bucks 107-102 in preseason opener

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; All-Star point guard Ja Morant borrowed a professional camera for photos of his teammates, even turning the lens on reporters covering the Memphis Grizzlies' media day Monday.
Ziaire Williams, going into his second NBA season, used a disposable camera from the podium and asked everyone to smile.
Safe to say the young Memphis Grizzlies remain just as confident, hungry and yes, ready for the brighter lights that come with posting the NBA's second-best record followed by a run to the Western Conference semifinals.
That earned the Grizzlies many more national TV games, including the coveted Christmas night slot against the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m extremely proud of our group on how serious, we took this offseason and how serious each individual took on themselves to get better, and it&rsquo;ll help us be a better team, as well as long as everybody improve," said Morant, the All-Star and NBA's Most Improved Player last season.
Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman made clear after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-memphis-grizzlies-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-e489a3f8659878f25878897f85528b83" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden State ended Memphis' season in six games</a> &mdash; the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-media-2a9aca3704eb84e7612c96fd808e284e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last three without an injured Morant</a> &mdash; that money wouldn't stop him from keeping his core together. Gone are Kyle Anderson and De'Anthony Melton, replaced by veteran Danny Green and a trio of draft picks.
Kleiman also signed Morant to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-9133154cdb4253d6dfebf0e68279b4c7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-year, supermax deal</a> after the point guard's third season, along with a deal for veteran guard Tyus Jones. Kleiman said they like to build through the draft and are confident in the players they've brought in.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited about what we did this offseason," Kleiman said.
JJJ UPDATE
The Grizzlies will start the season without Jaren Jackson Jr. Kleiman cleared up speculation on when Jackson suffered the stress fracture in his right foot Monday, noting Jackson was training somewhere else and immediately alerted team officials about the injury.
Memphis <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-jaren-jackson-3ada4d806e6023bae47277cc09c0fbc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected June 30</a> that Jackson would return within four to six months from surgery. Kleiman said the original timeframe has not changed for Jackson's return. Jackson told reporters he wouldn't be back for opening night Oct. 19 against the New York Knicks.
&ldquo;You'll like it,&rdquo; Jackson said of his return.
CONTRACT YEARS
The Grizzlies have a trio going into contract years in center Steven Adams, Dillon Brooks and forward Brandon Clarke. Kleiman said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-basketball-3a5646f4f496552a446219403a63d866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earlier this year that money wouldn't be an issue</a> keeping the Memphis' core together.
Adams joked he didn't even know if he'd be starting when asked about the qualities he likes in a power forward playing beside him. Brooks wants to be available after being limited to 32 games last season by injuries. Clarke said he was afraid of saying the wrong thing, but made clear he wants to stay in Memphis.
&ldquo;We view them as potential long-term pieces of this group, and we'll see how this plays out,&rdquo; Kleiman said.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE
The Grizzlies had three players receive votes for the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-ab99752f256668274bb16e1b325e6648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA's Most Improved Player won by Morant</a> with Desmond Bane fifth and Jackson 10th.
Williams, who started 31 of 62 games played as a rookie, is a candidate with coaches telling him he'll be on the ball more. Guard-forward John Konchar is another option after his own three-year extension this offseason, and 6-foot-11 Santi Aldama is another.
GRIZZLIES GET YOUNGER
Memphis has six rookies in training camp led by a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-danny-green-63893451fa143de6240640cac243f1e5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quartet of draft picks</a>. That includes forward Jake LaRavia out of Wake Forest, David Roddy from Colorado State and guard Kennedy Chandler, a Memphis native who played in college at Tennessee.
The Grizzlies also have an intriguing prospect in Kenneth Lofton Jr., a 6-8, 275-pound forward out of Louisiana Tech who impressed during summer league.
HELLO DANNY
The Grizzlies have had a bunch of veterans who never made it to Memphis in previous years, including <a href="https://apnews.com/article/d8e2365da84a12c0e0db7e3a4e82b790" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Iguodala who never dressed for them</a> before being traded to Miami in February 2020.
Green, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-danny-green-63893451fa143de6240640cac243f1e5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired draft night in a trade</a>, will be sticking around. Green says some teams didn't think he could be back at any point this season coming off a knee injury in mid-May. He said both he and Memphis think he can be back when it matters most and also help these young Grizzlies with his experience.
&nbsp;

Ja Morant and the young Memphis Grizzlies and hungrier than ever entering the 2022-23 NBA season.

Young Grizzlies still cocky, hungrier after semifinals loss

A lot can change in a week.
Seven days ago, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren had the second-best odds to win the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year award. Now, one week later, Holmgren is out for the season after he suffered a Lisfranc injury to his right foot while playing in The CrawsOver Pro-Am in Seattle.
With the No. 2 overall pick no longer in the Rookie of the Year race, who are the current favorites for the award entering the 2022-23 season? How did the odds change after Holmgren's injury?&nbsp;
On <a href="https://www.betonline.ag/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BetOnline</a>, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero still has the best odds at 3/2. Banchero has been the favorite all offseason, and his odds moved from 3/1 to 3/2 following Holmgren's injury.
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray has the second-best odds. While he was previously listed at 9/1, his odds are now 5/1 following Holmgren's injury.
Rounding out the top five are Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (11/2 odds, up from 15/2), Houston Rockets big man Jabari Smith Jr. (8/1 odds, down from 7/2) and Bennedict Mathurin (9/1 odds, up from 12/1).
The only other players who saw their odds increase over the last week were Houston Rockets wing Tari Eason (who moved from 66/1 to 33/1), Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (who moved 50/1 to 40/1) and Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (who moved from 80/1 to 66/1).
Interestingly, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams actually saw his ROY odds dip after Holmgren's injury, moving from 22/1 to 25/1. Washington Wizards guard Johnny Davis' odds also dropped a bit, going from 18/1 to 33/1.
Here's a look at the complete Rookie-of-the-Year odds from <a href="https://www.betonline.ag/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BetOnline</a>:
<table style="font-weight: 400; width: 262px;" width="276">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.262px;">
Paolo Banchero
</td>
<td style="width: 74.05px;">
3/2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.312px;">
Keegan Murray
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
5/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.325px;">
Jaden Ivey
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
11/2
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Jabari Smith Jr
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
8/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Bennedict Mathurin
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
9/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Jalen Williams
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
25/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Shaedon Sharpe
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
25/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Jalen Duren
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
33/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Johnny Davis
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
33/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Mark Williams
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
33/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Tari Eason
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
33/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Dyson Daniels
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
40/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Ochai Agbaji
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
40/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Jaden Hardy
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
40/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
AJ Griffin
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
50/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Ousmane Dieng
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
50/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Jeremy Sochan
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
50/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Nikola Jovic
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
66/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Malaki Branham
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
80/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Marjon Beauchamp
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
100/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Dalen Terry
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
100/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
TyTy Washington
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
100/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Jake LaRavia
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
100/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Walker Kessler
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
100/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Blake Wesley
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
125/1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 159.331px;">
Christian Braun
</td>
<td style="width: 74.0687px;">
125/1
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
While Holmgren's injury is obviously unfortunate, he isn't the first high-profile prospect to miss his entire rookie season with an injury. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/holmgren-isnt-the-first-lottery-pick-to-suffer-a-seasonending-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here's a look at six other lottery picks who went through the same thing.</a>

Following Chet Holmgren's injury, who are the favorites to win the 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year award? How did the odds change?

How did Chet Holmgren's injury affect NBA Rookie of the Year odds?

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

We&rsquo;ve reached the final and most important NBA award out there as &ldquo;Bet Week&rdquo; wraps up on BasketballNews.com. Over the last few years, the MVP race has been fantastic, with Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic nabbing the award twice.
Who will emerge this time around in what should be another classic campaign? Without further ado, let&rsquo;s examine the best bets for the 2022-23 NBA MVP award as well as an enticing dark-horse option. As always, all odds projections are provided by DraftKings.
Best Bet: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks (+400)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Let&rsquo;s take a quick moment to appreciate greatness in Luka Doncic <a href="https://t.co/cGCKcrG6In">pic.twitter.com/cGCKcrG6In</a>
&mdash; 𝕷𝕭𝕵 ⁶👑 (@TheLBJBurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLBJBurner/status/1554542386998611968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
Luka Doncic's MVP hype is reaching a fever pitch. Although Doncic faded in the second half of last season's MVP race, he&rsquo;s still the Ferrari engine that makes the Dallas Mavericks a formidable postseason threat. Will this finally be the year that Doncic breaks through to win MVP?
Everything is setting up well for Doncic to produce a career-best season, and, dare I say, potentially flirt with a 30-point triple-double average. Since 2019-20, Doncic&rsquo;s regular-season numbers are simply absurd: 28.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game on a 58.1% True Shooting.
With Jalen Brunson exiting this offseason to the New York Knicks, even more scoring opportunities will be presented to the Slovenian phenom. I feel pretty comfortable saying Doncic will be an MVP finalist if he exceeds his current numbers even slightly. Dallas didn&rsquo;t have a splashy offseason, but maybe the most important development for the Mavs is Doncic&rsquo;s conditioning. Playing for the Slovenian national team this offseason, Doncic looks to be in the best shape of his NBA career, which has to make Mavericks personnel giddy at the possible outcomes.
Consistently putting the Mavericks on his back since his debut, Doncic being the heavy betting favorite for MVP should come as no surprise. Maybe Las Vegas was a year early on the MVP projection, but 2022-23 is shaping up to be Doncic's true crescendo. Buckle up, because we&rsquo;re about to see the best version of Doncic yet.
Best Bet: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (+650)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
If Joel Embiid is at the rim, watch out 😤 Catch his best dunks from the 2021-22 season! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADunkWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADunkWeek</a> <a href="https://t.co/aIGjl7paYD">pic.twitter.com/aIGjl7paYD</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1556007204301312000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Joel Embiid checks in behind Doncic with the second-best MVP odds. Will the Philadelphia 76ers' superstar finally get his due? It&rsquo;s fair to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/robbed-joel-embiid-shouldve-at-least-been-the-nbas-comvp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argue that Embiid should have won last year's MVP award over Jokic</a> in what was a historic MVP race.
Looking ahead to Philadelphia&rsquo;s make-or-break 2022-23, a lot is on the line for those within the organization. James Harden just inked a new extension that helped the Sixers bring aboard former Houston Rockets teammates PJ Tucker, Danuel House and Trevelin Queen. Sixers executive Daryl Morey is all-in on the duo of Embiid and Harden winning a championship, and the clock is ticking when thinking about the generational big man&rsquo;s own window of prime production.
Already encountering knee and foot issues throughout his career, Embiid must capitalize on his sheer dominance as of late. Averaging 29.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game since 2020-21, Embiid has rounded into form as a bonafide two-way monster. When Embiid's health cooperates, nobody on the planet can stop him from getting to the basket relentlessly.
If the Sixers can capitalize on an improved roster and their seven-footer can stay healthy all season, the narrative is in place for an MVP breakthrough. Embiid will put up the numbers, but it all comes down to health and team success. Even at +650 odds, there&rsquo;s real value presented on Embiid for MVP.
Dark Horse: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies (+1200)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"Oh! A JA-BREAKER" Check out the TOP 10 dunks by <a href="https://twitter.com/JaMorant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaMorant</a> from the 2021-22 season! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADunkWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADunkWeek</a> *Drop the number of your favorite dunk in the replies* <a href="https://t.co/aqszYy40qi">pic.twitter.com/aqszYy40qi</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1554244333771149313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

We all just witnessed the Grizzlies' breakout thanks in large part to Morant taking the leap to superstar. Memphis has a core that fits so well together and everyone is on the same timeline moving forward.
However, at the start of next season, Memphis will be without its defensive anchor and unicorn big man in Jaren Jackson Jr. Morant will face more pressure to be Superman. Don't be surprised if Morant shines in these circumstances, which makes a +1200 dart throw on DraftKings easily worth the long-term investment.
Memphis is betting that its young core will continue to take steps forward, and they've added two more first-round prospects to the mix (Jake LaRavia and David Roddy). Morant is the Grizzlies' leader, and keeping them competitive in the reloaded Western Conference will help his potential MVP case.
Last season, Morant averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds while Memphis finished as the West&rsquo;s No. 2 seed. Would it be out of the question for Morant to increase his scoring and assist totals to near 30 and 9? If so, Morant will help Memphis win a lot of games, and he could parlay that success into a strong MVP case that's reminiscent of Derrick Rose&rsquo;s explosive 2010-11 season, in which he became the Association&rsquo;s youngest-ever MVP.

Which players are poised to emerge as top NBA MVP candidates? Evan Sidery finds the best value from a betting perspective.

Best bets for 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player award

Leave it to the NBA to add some drama to a setting where wins and losses don't matter.
Cam Thomas, one of my studs for Sunday's roundup, left some very interesting comments after he scored 26 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Reporter: "I was talking to your coach Steve Nash &amp; he's encouraging you to look for your shot &amp; your teammates" Cam Thomas rolls eyes "It is what it is" Seems even sophomore Cam Thomas is tired of Steve Nash "coaching"<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetsWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NetsWorld</a> <a href="https://t.co/CDfNxHVUzS">pic.twitter.com/CDfNxHVUzS</a>
&mdash; Jeri Tsai (@JeriTsaiNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeriTsaiNets/status/1546247206868590592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

And in the final game of the evening, we even got a fan fistfight! What a bizarre environment.
I saw one dud performer from Saturday bounce back with a phenomenal game on Sunday. Several 2021 draftees, and one undrafted 2021 classmate, also showed out in Las Vegas. Here's who stood out to me from another frenetic day of young hoopers.
STUDS
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray was HOOPING today for the <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> 👑 He dropped 23 PTS and 3 AST <a href="https://t.co/EkqkTkIbFy">pic.twitter.com/EkqkTkIbFy</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1546251129721393152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Box score stats: 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 7/16 FG, 4/12 3PT
The fourth overall pick has already flexed his long-range muscles, so his lukewarm day from deep struck me less than the rest of his offensive impact. Murray went 3-for-4 inside the arc. His makes came via a mid-range floater, a slipped screen he took all the way to the rim and a backdoor cut he used to finish strong through contact.
Though he only had 3 assists, Murray's passing also caught my eye. His first assist resulted from attacking a closeout, recognizing the help defense and kicking back out to an open Frankie Ferrari. Murray caught another transition pass in the first quarter that was too late for a layup, so he swung it along the baseline with his right hand to Keon Ellis, who drained the corner three. It feels like most of Summer League offense is coming easy to Murray so far when he isn't facing too much physicality.
Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
I don't even think this is a foul, but Cam Thomas does such a fantastic job of making it a tough decision for the refs. And when he does take contact, he is strong enough to get most shots up on the rim and convert many into makes. <a href="https://t.co/UHyCb5VZ40">pic.twitter.com/UHyCb5VZ40</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1546235440189030402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Box score stats: 26 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 5/17 FG, 1/3 3PT, 15/15 FT
Thomas played a great game on Sunday, even if his low field goal percentage and aforementioned <a href="https://twitter.com/JeriTsaiNets/status/1546247206868590592?s=20&amp;t=hxCrypsk46rMrH7y1P_GHQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eyebrow-raising postgame comments</a> distracted viewers. Of his 7 assists, 5 came in transition, where Thomas successfully reeled in defenders before making the right play with the ball.&nbsp;
Love or hate it, many of today's great scorers possess a knack for getting to the free-throw line. Thomas drew a whopping 11 fouls and knocked down all of his free throws. When he feels contact, the second-year guard gets in the air quickly (like above), and with some body control and a bit of gamesmanship, can make life difficult for refs and defenses.
Quentin Grimes, New York Knicks
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Quentin Grimes: hooper. His statline today: 24 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/6Qj7Km6bJj">pic.twitter.com/6Qj7Km6bJj</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1546278275076526081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Box score stats: 24 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 7/14 FG, 4/9 3PT
The "too good for Summer League" label gets thrown around a bit too much for my liking, and I don't know if any one player has shown that kind of dominance this summer. Grimes is certainly the closest to the moniker so far.
Grimes is just so confident as a shot-maker. His touch was back on Sunday, and he was unfazed on deep triples, even through contests. The 6-foot-5 wing also had two strong takes to the basket. His 4 assists included a sweet behind-the-back dump-off that even caught recipient Jericho Sims off-guard. Grimes and Sims later connected on another pick-and-roll finish; they have very apparent chemistry through the first handful of games in Vegas.
Mac McClung, Golden State Warriors
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
OKAY, MAC! 👀 Mac McClung is HOOPING right now on NBA TV <a href="https://t.co/bakO1R1VmB">pic.twitter.com/bakO1R1VmB</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1546283969234325505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Box score stats: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 9/15 FG
Jonathan Kuminga deserves fair praise for his game-high 28 points, but I want to highlight McClung because he floored me with his aggression on both ends. The undrafted guard was locked in as a defender off the ball and picked up 2 steals by reading the ball-handler and positioning himself in passing lanes. On offense, he constantly tried to play fast, and used his handle and shiftiness to change speeds and get to the basket.&nbsp;
McClung played just two NBA games last season and mostly spent time with the South Bay Lakers. He's had a phenomenal Summer League to date though, and has played his way to at least a two-way contract with a franchise, in my opinion.
Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Peyton Watson put up 19 PTS and 7 REB to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> to a W tonight ⛏️ <a href="https://t.co/bOnz7fkFMC">pic.twitter.com/bOnz7fkFMC</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1546311564575313920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Box score stats: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 8/12 FG, 1/4 3PT
Watson was loud and authoritative in his breakout Summer League game. The No. 30 pick threw down some putback slams and finished off cuts in Denver's win over the Cavaliers.
Watson also notched an unassisted driving layup, and his lone assist was a nice pick-and-roll feed to rookie teammate Ismael Kamagate. Denver has given Watson some decent burn on the ball, offering brief glimpses into his potential as a playmaking, 6-foot-9 forward.
Santi Aldama, Grizzlies
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Santi Aldama starred on both sides of the ball tonight in the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> win. 22 PTS, 8 REB, 6 STL, 2 BLK 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/2jxOCRaKLm">pic.twitter.com/2jxOCRaKLm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1546336632332238848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Box score stats: 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals, 2 blocks, 11/22 FG, 0/4 3PT
This is the Santi Aldama experience. After a listless performance on Saturday, the second-year forward put together perhaps the game of the day against the Timberwolves. He switched well on defense, picked off some transition passes and, on one play, skied over from the paint to the weak-side corner for a huge block.&nbsp;
Memphis fed the former Loyola Maryland Greyhound against a smaller Minnesota frontcourt. Aldama feasted in the post, on timely cuts and on some short roll plays. He's definitely best utilized as a cutter as his three-point shot remains a work in progress, but it's a joy to see Aldama active and moving all over the court.
Other deserving shoutouts: Neemias Queta (Kings), Terry Taylor (Pacers), Blake Wesley (Spurs), Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors), Collin Gillespie (Nuggets), Ty-Shon Alexander (Hornets), LJ Figueroa (Hornets), Cole Swider (Lakers), Cassius Winston (76ers), Day'Ron Sharpe (Nets)
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
DUDS
Marko Simonovic, Chicago Bulls
Box score stats: 1 point, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 0/5 FG, 7 fouls
This was a rough crash back to Earth for Simonovic after his impressive showing on Friday. The center was simply not an impactful defender, often slow to help and recover and a non-threat to block shots. His trio of three-point misses were ugly, and his only attempt at the rim was a missed second-chance tip. The Bulls need some help at center behind Nikola Vucevic, but this game is not helping Simonovic make his case for minutes.
Louis King, Phoenix Suns
Box score stats: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2/11 FG, 0/5 3PT
King won last year's Summer League Championship Game MVP with Sacramento, but that did not translate to playing time in the regular season. He's still a pure scorer at this stage, so when the shot does not fall as it did not on Sunday, King's offensive impact plummets. He committed 3 turnovers as a result of predetermining some passes and only tallied a single assist. Kings has played for two NBA teams since going undrafted in 2019, so hopefully he turns this around and lands a third opportunity.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Jake LaRavia, Memphis Grizzlies
Box score stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1/5 FG, 0/4 3PT
Several Grizzlies players were off the mark on Sunday. LaRavia just did not have his touch from long range, and some of the misses were surprisingly well off the mark. He also displayed some instances of hesitancy attacking closeouts. LaRavia's lone bucket was a great vertical cut rewarded with a pass and a layup. Hopefully Memphis finds more ways to get him involved and build some confidence.
Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets
Box score stats: 3 points, 7 rebounds, 1/5 FG
Is it mildly concerning that Williams has made just 3 of his 13 shots in Summer League so far? Williams struggled to work in the post on Shareef O'Neal, and couldn't convert one layup on an out-of-bounds play despite receiving a quality chance. The No. 15 pick did only play 17:41 against the Lakers and has come off the bench in both of his contests. Again, it's just Summer League, but I'd like to see Williams assert himself more as a play-finisher going forward.

Cam Thomas, Quentin Grimes and Santi Aldama put the 2021 draft class in the spotlight on Sunday.

10 studs and duds from Day 4 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

Chet Holmgren shined in his summer league debut, scoring 13 of his 23 points in the first quarter to help the Oklahoma City Thunder build an early 20-point lead en route to a 98-77 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
The No. 2 pick in the draft also had seven rebounds, four assists and a Salt Lake City Summer League-record six blocks in 24 minutes. Holmgren, a versatile 7-footer from Gonzaga who averaged 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds and ranked fourth nationally with 3.7 blocks per game, finished 7 of 9 from the floor and 5 of 5 at the free throw line.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
▪️ Blocks jumpshot ▪️ Behind-the-back crossover ▪️ No-look pass Chet is different. <a href="https://t.co/KU91MiLRZO">pic.twitter.com/KU91MiLRZO</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1544495271517622273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Holmgren made 4 of 5 shots in the first quarter, including three 3-pointers. He sat out the first six minutes of the second quarter before finding Jalen Williams for a dunk to make it 42-22. Holmgren made six straight shots after missing his first attempt.
Jalen Williams, the No. 12 pick out of Santa Clara, added 17 points to help Oklahoma City spoil the debut of new Utah coach Will Hardy. Josh Giddey finished with 14 points and 11 assists.
Oklahoma City closed the third quarter on a 10-0 run for a 78-50 lead.
GRIZZLIES 103, 76ERS 99
Jake LaRavia, the No. 19 pick out of Wake Forest, made four of Memphis&rsquo; 15 3-pointers, and the Grizzlies won the opening game in Salt Lake City.
Memphis led by as many as 17 points. The Grizzlies made 7 of 9 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished 15 of 30. Memphis also had 29 assists on 37 made field goals.
Philadelphia had the ball down 101-99 with 15 seconds left but Jaden Springer had it stolen by Kennedy Chandler. Ziaire Williams made two free throws with 0.1 seconds left to seal it.
No. 23 pick David Roddy, a 6-6, 255-pound forward from Colorado State, scored four points for Memphis. Roddy was the Mountain West player of the year after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists this past season.
Paul Reed led Philadelphia with 20 points and 15 rebounds.
Memphis star Ja Morant sat courtside.

Chet Holmgren shined in his summer league debut, scoring 13 of his 23 points in the first quarter to help the Thunder to a 98-77 victory.

Chet Holmgren shines in Salt Lake City Summer League debut

Another NBA Draft has come and gone, and the 2022 version once again lived up to the spectacle.
Fans' heads were spinning throughout the day, as news outlets and sportsbooks took opposite stances on who would be the No. 1 pick. In the end, the Orlando Magic pulled off a stunner by choosing Paolo Banchero.
The surprises didn't end there, as the Detroit Pistons used a three-team trade to snag Jalen Duren at No. 13, and the Oklahoma City Thunder added a second lottery pick to add Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Williams with back-to-back selections.
Matt Babcock is here for one last Q&amp;A to finish off the draft cycle. Here were his thoughts on the night:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-j122Izudtk" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The Orlando Magic seemed to shock everyone by taking Paolo Banchero No. 1. How did they pull off such an elaborate smokescreen?
Right after the lottery, while I was at the NBA Draft Combine, I was told that the Orlando Magic felt Paolo Banchero was the safe pick for them. However, I didn't take it too seriously and didn't read into it much. Well, in hindsight, that was a mistake. I would've taken Jabari Smith, but I can't argue with the Magic selecting Banchero. The fact is that the Magic had multiple good options with the No. 1 pick. They chose to go with Paolo, and I respect it. He's a big-time prospect, and he will likely be a primary scorer for them. Hats off to Jeff Weltman and John Hammond. They didn't show their cards and didn't care what everyone else thought they should do. Well done.
Now that Orlando made the pick, how do you like Banchero's fit with the Magic?
Paolo Banchero is big, strong, explosive and skilled. There's a lot to like about him. I think he's a good fit with the Magic. I also believe he will be an outstanding and perhaps an All-Star-level player. I'm happy for the Magic and Paolo. I don't know Paolo personally, but I've watched him play many times over the last several years, making me feel like I do know him. So I'm certainly rooting for him.
What do you think of Jabari Smith's fit in Houston after he ended up No. 3?
I had Jabari Smith as the No. 1 rated prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft since November. Houston getting him at No. 3 is such a great pick, in my opinion. I do not know Rafael Stone personally, but I'm impressed &mdash; he killed it on draft night. Jabari at No. 3, Tari Eason at No. 17 and TyTy Washington at No. 29. Honestly, I don't know if the Rockets could've done any better.
The public applauded Detroit for its draft, specifically in the lottery. How impressed were you with the Pistons' selections?
I've had Jabari Smith No. 1 since November, but my favorite prospect this past season might have been Purdue's Jaden Ivey. He's athletic and dynamic, and might have more upside than anyone else in the 2022 NBA Draft. So the fact that the Pistons were able to get him at No. 5 feels like a crime. And then for them also being able to add Jalen Duren at No. 13, who's a young big with a boatload of talent and upside, too &mdash; it was just an excellent draft for them. The Pistons' fan base should be very excited!
Which teams surprised you most with the trades they made (or did not make)?
I was surprised that Memphis gave up so much to move up to No. 19 to select Jake LaRavia. I'm certainly a fan of Jake's, and his agent for that matter, Aaron Reilly &mdash; a really good guy. However, giving up multiple draft picks did feel like a lot to me.
I was also surprised by the Knicks' draft. I understand and appreciate the value of financial flexibility and draft assets. However, I expected them to add a player through the draft, whether using their pick or moving up in the draft via trade. Time will tell if Leon Rose's move was a smart one or not. Regardless, the pressure is on regarding these future draft picks.
Jaden Hardy was the last green room invitee to be selected. Did that surprise you, and do you like Dallas trading to acquire him?
This past year didn't unfold like I'm sure Jaden Hardy had hoped it would, but I think going to Dallas is an excellent opportunity for him.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Mavericks rookie guard Jaden Hardy spoke with the media today and I asked him how to describe himself as a player and the thing he wants to improve on most; really good answers here <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/7nhW9NfffT">pic.twitter.com/7nhW9NfffT</a>
&mdash; Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinGraySports/status/1541870433393430529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

I think he has a chance to become an outstanding player in the NBA if he continues to develop. He is a natural scorer with great range and explosiveness. So let's give him some time.
Which other players surprised you with how far they fell in the draft order?
I was surprised TyTy Washington fell to No. 29. I understand the league is going towards a more positionless game; however, I believe TyTy is the real deal. I wouldn't be surprised if he made many teams regret not selecting him. I'm also surprised Kendall Brown fell so far. There are some legitimate concerns with his lack of offensive creation abilities, but his motor and athleticism are legit.
Which players drafted in the second round do you think could earn a rotation spot in their rookie season?
I think Kennedy Chandler will carve out a role with the Memphis Grizzlies as Ja Morant's backup point guard. Also, I'm interested to see if they try to play Kennedy and Ja together. If so, that will be quite the speedy duo and potentially a nightmare to contain.
Who are you viewing as "steals of the draft" from Thursday?
I'm going to pick two: TyTy Washington and Max Christie. I think TyTy has a better opportunity of making an impact right away and proving me right quicker. However, I believe that Max Christie can become a good NBA player within a couple of years.
Is there any report or move you expected to happen during the draft that never transpired?
I was hoping the Knicks moved up to get Jaden Ivey, as rumored. That kid seems to be built for the bright lights. But luckily for the Pistons, they got him at No. 5.&nbsp;I'm looking forward to watching how he develops there. I think he's going to become an exciting player to watch!
Who do you see as the top undrafted free agents to monitor?
Jean Montero. He surprisingly went undrafted and then signed an Exhibit 10 with the Knicks. He's a talented player and was once a highly-touted prospect. I still think he has a shot.
Now that the NBA Draft is over, what's next in the process for scouts like yourself?
There's the saying, "Gone Fishing." Well, I'm going on vacation with my family and doing some fly fishing. But, not only do I have a head start on the 2023 NBA Draft, but also the 2024 and 2025 drafts. So, don't you worry, I'm on it. See you soon.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Matt Babcock recaps the biggest surprise moves of the 2022 NBA Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on biggest draft night surprises

The Memphis Grizzlies have nailed the NBA Draft since Zach Kleiman took over the front office. In recent years, he and his staff have clearly identified their kind of prospects and honed in on these players.&nbsp;
Several months after Kleiman was promoted to Memphis' executive vice president of basketball operations on April 2019, he selected Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick.
Later that draft night, the Grizzlies traded up to draft Brandon Clarke with the No. 21 pick. Clarke was a fringe top-10 player on many big boards, but continued to slip on draft night due to his age (23) and limited wingspan (6-foot-8, which is the same as his height). Many of Memphis' picks fit this description; by unsubscribing from groupthink, the Grizzlies have managed to find sleepers that other front offices overlooked due to perceived issues.
Clarke went on to deliver the most efficient season from the field in NBA history for a rookie (61.8% field-goal percentage), and he was the Grizzlies' biggest impact player during their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.
The Grizzlies did not have a first-round pick in 2020, but sent two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the No. 30 pick. Kleiman then selected Desmond Bane, who was still on the board because of his age (22) and wingspan (6-foot-4, despite standing at 6-foot-6).
Bane had the highest college PER of any Grizzlies draft pick in franchise history. All Bane did was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/desmond-bane-cementing-himself-as-essential-part-of-nextgen-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become a Most Improved Player candidate</a> in his sophomore season, and he is currently emerging as one of the most lethal shooters in the league.
In the second round, following the Bane selection, Kleiman moved up again to get Xavier Tillman Sr. out of Michigan State; Tillman was another 22-year-old with first-round talent who slid because of age. He hasn't had the same impact as Clarke or Bane, but he's had his moments over the last two seasons.&nbsp;
The 2021 NBA Draft is yet another prime example of Kleiman doing things his way. The Grizzlies moved up from No. 17 to No. 10, with players such as James Bouknight, Moses Moody and Chris Duarte on the board. Most assumed that Moody was the no-brainer pick for the Grizzlies, but Kleiman and Co. had a different plan; Memphis selected Ziaire Williams out of Stanford. Most mock drafts had Williams as a mid-to-late first-round pick, but the Grizzlies were not going to take any chances and risk missing out on their guy.
Then, in back-to-back years of the draft, Memphis bought back into the first round by acquiring the No. 30 pick to gain a cheaper, controlled contract. The Grizzlies dealt the No. 40 pick and two future second-round picks in exchange for the No. 30 selection, where Santi Aldama was the choice. Most teams didn't have Aldama atop their draft board at that spot, as a number of prospects with late-first grades had slipped, including JT Thor, Ayo Dosunmu and Joe Wieskamp. However, the Grizzlies were determined to add the 6-foot-11 forward who can dribble, pass and shoot &mdash; providing versatility and spacing.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Leading up to the 2022 NBA Draft, multiple outlets reported that Memphis was interested in moving up again. The Grizzlies were rumored to be after the Sacramento Kings' No. 4 pick and the New York Knicks' No. 11 pick (and they likely inquired about some selections in between).&nbsp;
Here's what we know: the Grizzlies have a type, and they'll do whatever it takes to get their guys &mdash; even if that means trading up. Outside of Morant, every draft pick from Kleiman and Co. has been the result of Memphis moving up in the draft to snag its target.
Should a team go after the best player available or prioritize the best fit for its roster? This is one of the main debates that surfaces every year around the NBA Draft. For the Grizzlies, the best player available is the guy who is the best fit. For Memphis, best fit doesn't just refer to someone who fills a positional need. They are looking for the player who best fits the current mix of players as a person and a player. And unlike other teams, the Grizzlies aren't focused on a player's age and wingspan.
&ldquo;What we really care about is: Who is the person and are they good at basketball?&rdquo; Kleiman said.
Armed with picks No. 22 and No. 29 in this year's first round, it felt inevitable that the Grizzlies were going to trade up and snag their guy. Was it going to be Tari Eason from LSU? AJ Griffin seemed like a perfect fit. Even Jalen Duren made sense. But when it comes to Memphis, identifying the team's targets without inside knowledge is a crapshoot.
Then, it happened: Memphis packaged their two first-rounders to move up to No. 19. Malaki Branham was there, slipping out of the teens. Christian Braun and MarJon Beauchamp were also on the board. However, the Grizzlies opted for Jake LaRavia out of Wake Forest. This was their guy. With the San Antonio Spurs rumored to like LaRavia at No. 20, they made sure to go get him.
Now, would Memphis once again try to trade up into the end of the first round for the third year in a row?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> today announced the team acquired the draft rights to David Roddy (the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft) and Danny Green from the Philadelphia 76ers for De'Anthony Melton. <a href="https://t.co/M5zHBVvjtR">pic.twitter.com/M5zHBVvjtR</a>
&mdash; Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1540450306126819328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

The Grizzlies didn't wait for the last pick of the first round this time, jumping back in four selections after LaRavia's to surprise everyone once again. Jaden Hardy, Andrew Nembhard and Patrick Baldwin Jr. had all been linked to Memphis during the pre-draft process. Instead, it was David Roddy, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-prospect-david-roddy-aims-to-be-ultimate-glue-guy-after-colorado-state-breakout-minneapolis-minnesota-breck-school-phil-beckner-niko-medved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6-foot-6 defensive lineman&nbsp;forward from Colorado State</a>.&nbsp;
As the second round progressed, a few players began to fall. EJ Liddell, Bryce McGowens and Kennedy Chandler were sliding despite having first-round grades. Then, Memphis struck again, acquiring the No. 38 pick for a future second-rounder and cash. Here, the Grizzlies selected Chandler.
"We were shocked that Kennedy slipped to where he was,&rdquo; Kleiman said after the draft. "That wasn't the first team that we called trying to get in using a second, trading in and trying to get a point guard who fits what we're about.&rdquo;
Kleiman still had No. 47 even after trading up twice. Memphis selected Vince Williams Jr. out of VCU, a 6-foot-5 wing with a 7-foot wingspan.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Only three college players reached these thresholds: Shot Selection: eFG% &gt; 57% Value Beyond Scoring: D-REB% and AST% &gt; 14% Defensive Playmaking: BLK% and STL% &gt; 2% The Grizzlies drafted all three: Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and Vince Williams 🔥🔥<a href="https://t.co/o4aJDNy1lL">https://t.co/o4aJDNy1lL</a>
&mdash; Bryan Kalbrosky (@BryanKalbrosky) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1541478576201113602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

After their second-round exit against the world champion Golden State Warriors, it was clear Memphis needed shooters and guys who could defend and play in the half-court. All four of the organization's draft picks shot better than 38% from deep last season and averaged over 2.0 stocks (steals and blocks) per game.
While they vary in size and position, the Grizzlies selected four players who can dribble, pass, shoot and defend. And though shooting was the priority in this draft, they stuck to their plan, searching for good people who are also good at basketball.
After an eventful draft night, they ended up with four players who can contribute in a multitude of ways early in their careers.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

The Grizzlies have been aggressive in recent NBA Drafts, trading up every year since 2019 to go get their guys.

The Grizzlies’ unique NBA Draft approach has yielded multiple steals

Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the players each team ended up with in the 2022 NBA Draft (includes proposed trades):
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Atlanta Hawks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (16) AJ Griffin, f, Duke.
2 (44) Ryan Rollins, g, Toledo.
2 (51) Tyrese Martin, f, UConn. (from Golden State)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Boston Celtics</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (53) JD Davison, g, Alabama.
<table style="height: 23px; width: 18.1462%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<th style="height: 23px; width: 89.2446%;">Brooklyn Nets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Charlotte Hornets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (15) Mark Williams, C, Duke.
2 (40) Bryce McGowens, g, Nebraska. (from Minnesota)
2 (45) Josh Minott, f, Memphis.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Chicago Bulls</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (18) Dalen Terry, g, Arizona.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Cleveland Cavaliers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (14) Ochai Agbaji, g, Kansas.
2 (39) Khalifa Diop, c, Gran Canaria (Spain).
2 (49) Isaiah Mobley, f, USC. (from Chicago via Memphis, Detroit and Sacramento)
2 (56) Luke Travers, g, Perth (Australia).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Dallas Mavericks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (26) Wendell Moore Jr., f, Duke. (from Houston)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Denver Nuggets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (21) Christian Braun, g, Kansas.
2 (46) Ismael Kamagate, Paris (France). (from Detroit)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Detroit Pistons</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (5) Jaden Ivey, g, Purdue.
1 (13) Jalen Duren, C, Memphis. (from Charlotte)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Golden State Warriors</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (28) Patrick Baldwin Jr., f, Milwaukee.
2 (55) Gui Santos, f, Minas (Brazil).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Houston Rockets</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (3) Jabari Smith Jr., f, Auburn.
1 (17) Tari Eason, f, LSU.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Indiana Pacers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (6) Bennedict Mathurin, f, Arizona.
2 (31) Andrew Nembhard, g, Gonzaga.
2 (58) Hugo Besson, g, New Zealand (Australia).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>L.A. Clippers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (43) Moussa Diabate, f, Michigan.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>L.A. Lakers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (35) Max Christie, g, Michigan State. (from Orlando via Indiana and Milwaukee)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Memphis Grizzlies</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (19) Jake LaRavia, f, Wake Forest. (from Minnesota)
1 (23) David Roddy, f, Colorado State. (from Philadelphia)
1 (29) TyTy Washington Jr., g, Kentucky.
2 (47) Vince Williams Jr., VCU.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Miami Heat</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (27) Nikola Jovic, f, Mega (Serbia)
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Milwaukee Bucks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (24) MarJon Beauchamp, g, G-League Ignite.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Minnesota Timberwolves</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (22) Walker Kessler, c, Auburn. (from Memphis)
2 (48) Kendall Brown, f, Baylor.
2 (50) Matteo Spagnolo, g, Cremona (Italy).
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>New Orleans Pelicans</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (8) Dyson Daniels, g-league Ignite.
2 (41) E.J. Liddell, f, Ohio State.
2 (52) Karlo Matkovic, Mega
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>New York Knicks</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (42) Trevor Keels, f, Duke.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Oklahoma City Thunder</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (2) Chet Holmgren, c, Gonzaga.
1 (11) Ousemane Dieng, f, New Zealand (Australia). (from New York)
1 (12) Jalen Williams, g, Santa Clara.
1 (30) Peyton Watson, f, UCLA.
2 (34) Jaylin Williams, f, Arkansas.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Orlando Magic</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (1) Paolo Banchero, f, Duke.
2 (32) Caleb Houstan, f, Michigan.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Philadelphia 76ers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Phoenix Suns</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Portland Trail Blazers</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (7) Shaedon Sharpe, g, Kentucky.
2 (36) Gabriele Procida, g, Fortitudo Bologna (Italy).
2 (57) Jabari Walker, f, Colorado.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Sacramento Kings</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (4) Keegan Murray, f, Iowa.
2 (37) Jaden Hardy, g, G-League Ignite.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>San Antonio Spurs</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (9) Jeremy Sochan, f, Baylor.
1 (20) Malaki Branham, g, Ohio State.
1 (25) Blake Wesley, g, Notre Dame.
2 (38) Kennedy Chandler, g, Tennessee.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Toronto Raptors</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
2 (33) Christian Koloko, f, Arizona.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Utah Jazz</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
No Picks.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Washington Wizards</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
1 (10) Johnny Davis, g, Wisconsin.
2 (54) Yannick Nzosa, c, Unicaja (Spain). &lt;

A team-by-team breakdown of the players each team ended up with in the 2022 NBA Draft (includes proposed trades).

2022 NBA Draft: Team-by-team selections for all 60 picks

The Memphis Grizzlies have selected Jake LaRavia with the No. 19 overall pick via a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2022 NBA Draft, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
With the No. 19 pick in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADraft</a> , <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrindCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GrindCity</a> trades up and selects Jake LaRavia🏀<a href="https://twitter.com/MattBabcock11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattBabcock11</a> broke down his game: <a href="https://t.co/AW8bIrWcAe">pic.twitter.com/AW8bIrWcAe</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1540152637638819842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

ANALYSIS: After transferring from Indiana State, Jake LaRavia immediately impacted the Wake Forest team this past season, establishing himself as a worthy NBA prospect and one of the best shooters in the ACC Conference. At 6-foot-8, LaRavia is a versatile scorer and rebounder and has a tremendous feel for the game.

The Memphis Grizzlies have selected Jake LaRavia with the No. 19 overall pick via a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

2022 NBA Draft: Memphis Grizzlies pick Jake LaRavia No. 19 (via Wolves)

During the NBA pre-draft process, a prospect's age has a huge impact on his draft stock. Typically, younger players are believed to have a higher ceiling, while older prospects are thought to have less potential.
Former Wake Forest forward Jake LaRavia recently found this out the hard way.
After declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft, LaRavia noticed that he was incorrectly listed as 22 years old by some prominent media outlets. In reality, LaRavia is only 20 years old, as he was born on Nov. 3, 2001. But after one site published this error, it spread around the internet. Eventually, even Google showed the wrong age for LaRavia.
"I didn't really know about the whole age thing and how that plays a huge role (in how NBA executives value prospects), but it actually plays a big role in this process,&rdquo; LaRavia told BasketballNews. &ldquo;I was getting a bunch of people hitting me up like, 'Jake, you're 22?' So, I looked it up on Google, like, &lsquo;How old is Jake LaRavia?&rsquo; and it said 22. I was like, &lsquo;Alright, we gotta get this fixed.&rsquo;
&ldquo;I was just telling a bunch of people that it was wrong, and my agents did their job and told everyone that I'm 20. We were finally able to get that fixed, so that was good."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Aaron Reilly, LaRavia's agent, proved to the NBA that his client is only 20 years old. Ever since, LaRavia has been climbing up draft boards and mock drafts.&nbsp;
When NBA executives thought LaRavia was 22, he was being projected as a mid-to-late second-round pick (with some projecting him to go undrafted). Now, many mock drafts have LaRavia as a first-rounder (with some projecting him to go as high as No. 20 overall).
Some teams knew of LaRavia's real age (and obviously didn't say anything), but most thought he was 22 years old. Believe it or not, one team actually told LaRavia's camp that they were disappointed to learn he was only 20 years old and subsequently showed less interest, for some reason.
Now that it's cleared up, the 20-year-old has been one of the biggest risers throughout the pre-draft process. This was essentially a social experiment to determine how much teams care about a prospect's age.&nbsp;
Our senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock has LaRavia projected to go No. 25 overall to the San Antonio Spurs in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews' latest mock draft</a>:
<blockquote>
After transferring from Indiana State, Jake LaRavia immediately impacted the Wake Forest team this past season, establishing himself as a worthy NBA prospect and one of the best shooters in the ACC. At 6-foot-8, LaRavia is a versatile scorer and rebounder and has a tremendous feel for the game.
</blockquote>
Check out my full interview with LaRavia here, where he talked about his skill set, modeling his game after Gordon Hayward, his draft-night plans, his elevator pitch to NBA general managers and much more:&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KEKiZ7VzXMc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Wake Forest's Jake LaRavia was incorrectly listed as 22 years old. Once NBA teams found out he was only 20, his draft stock soared.