The Memphis Grizzlies — a team that has been on a rapid ascent atop the NBA's totem pole — have a huge offseason ahead of them. There's no clear resolution to the Ja Morant situation at the moment, but plenty of analysts believe that the league will lay the hammer down on the Grizzlies' star point guard. Thus, with the intention of remaining competitive in mind, the Grizzlies may have to add some significant backcourt depth to cushion the blow of Morant's impending suspension.
Tyus Jones remains under contract for next season, so the Grizzlies won't exactly have to acquire a game-changing presence at the position. Thus, the Grizzlies could very well decide to use the 25th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft to fill that need.
There may not be too many guards available for grabs for when the Grizzlies make their pick. After all, the strength of this current draft class lies in its wing depth. However, for the past few years, the Grizzlies have drafted players at that position, namely Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, and David Roddy. Acquiring a guard then should be a no-brainer, especially when there aren't exactly too many factors separating each prospect at around the 25 to 35 range.
With that said, here are three sneaky players the Grizzlies can take with the number 25 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Marcus Sasser
Marcus Sasser, at first glance, does not have the most inspiring prospect profile. He's stands at just 6'1 and he weighs just 196 lbs. A lack of size is always the most difficult obstacle to overcome in becoming a plus-defender in the NBA.
Even Kennedy Chandler, who was one of the most disruptive defenders in college basketball, had difficulties making an impact in his rookie season with the Grizzlies. Chandler is a 6'0 guard who didn't provide enough value on offense to warrant any minutes, and he ended up being waived when the Grizzlies prioritized their frontcourt.
But Marcus Sasser should have greater staying power than Chandler by virtue of being a much better offensive player.
Sasser does not have the deepest bag of offensive tricks, but he is a much more solid pull-up threat than Chandler has ever showed to be. He shot 38.4 percent from three last season at Houston on a healthy volume (6.9 attempts per game). And he's not just a standstill shooter, for he can do his damage coming off screens as well.
It's his defensive workrate that makes him a solid prospect, however, more than his pull-up shooting. He can stick to opposing ballhandlers like glue. If the Grizzlies do end up drafting him, he can help replicate some of Dillon Brooks' annoying defensive tendencies.
Sasser's skillset is reminiscent of that of Terry Rozier. He is of a similar build as Rozier, both love pulling up, and both have a reputation for being pesky defenders leading up to the draft. Sasser, however, has already shown a much better ability to shoot from deep than Rozier back when the Charlotte Hornets guard was in college.
The Grizzlies could surely use another mold of player at the point. Ja Morant is the unstoppable rim attacker, Tyus Jones is the composed playmaking three-level threat, while Marcus Sasser is more of a microwave scoring option.
Terquavion Smith
Speaking of microwave scoring options, Terquavion Smith has all the makings of becoming one of the next great gunners off the bench. Smith can fill up the scoreboard in a hurry, able to drain buckets of all sorts of difficulties, which is a testament to his sweet-shooting ability.
Smith has a long way to go when it comes to rounding out his game. If he were to earn a featured backcourt role, whether it's with the Grizzlies or another team, he will have to learn how to read the floor at a much better level, which should allow him to flourish as a playmaker.
His shot selection also needs work; having the ability to make difficult shots doesn't mean that difficult shots are all he must take.
But high-level shot creation is difficult to come by. Given the ease with which Terquavion Smith can conjure up a shot out of thin air, the Grizzlies may be smart to bet on him emerging as a helpful piece especially if Ja Morant needs more time to figure out his off-court foibles.
Brandin Podziemski
The rationale behind why the Grizzlies must target Brandin Podziemski is explained in a more in-depth manner here. But in short, Brandin Podziemski projects as a dynamic shot-creator, particularly from range, and his feel for the game coupled with his rapid ascent bodes well for his trajectory as an NBA pro.
Some are concerned about Podziemski's defense at the NBA level, but his high rebounding numbers and motor should allow him to compete on that end of the floor.
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