Fansided

Re-drafting the 2015 NBA Draft

By John Buhler

Nov 23, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Justise Winslow (20) dribbles the ball against the New York Knicks during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 95-78. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Justise Winslow (20) dribbles the ball against the New York Knicks during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 95-78. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 14, 2015; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) passes the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones (1) in a pre-season matchup at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2015; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) passes the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones (1) in a pre-season matchup at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /

211. . Point Guard. Utah Utes. Delon Wright. 25. player

Like how the Jazz didn’t need a point guard entering the 2015 NBA Draft, that key position became the Memphis Grizzlies’ undoing among other things during their 2016 NBA Playoffs run. Memphis already had a great point guard tandem in place with Mike Conley and Mario Chalmers, but it didn’t do them any good in the second half of 2015-16 when both primary ball handlers got hurt.

With Conley not guaranteed to return to Memphis in 2016 NBA free agency, as well as the severity of Chalmers’ gruesome injury, perhaps the Grizzlies could have really used a point guard at No. 25 in the 2015 NBA Draft. The best one available in this re-draft is probably Delon Wright, formerly of the Pac-12’s Utah Utes.

The senior point guard for the Utes played a little bit backing up Lowry with the Raptors as a rookie, but it’s always difficult getting the necessary playing time to grow behind one of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference.

With the way that the Grizzlies struggled to field a healthy lineup down the stretch, perhaps Wright could have elevate his play as well as Memphis’ when they needed it most in the second half of their 2015-16 injury-riddled campaign.

Even though the point guard position is as deep as it has ever been in the NBA, it’s very difficult to win in the postseason without a sure ball handler. Just having a guy like Wright to put into the mix could have been helpful in the Grizzlies’ first round series against the Spurs. Maybe they don’t get swept and Dave Joerger is still their coach if the Memphis offense didn’t sputter as badly as the season culminated?

Next: 26. San Antonio Spurs

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