2018 NBA Mock Draft: The lottery is done and the order is set
. F. Michigan State. Jaren Jackson Jr.. 4. player. 211
Jackson is the best fit for the Grizzlies in this draft outside Luka Doncic, so in a way it’s not so much a curse that they dropped two spots to land at No. 4 in Tuesday’s lottery.
Deandre Ayton demands more developmental energy than Memphis would have been able to spend with Marc Gasol in place, while Marvin Bagley III doesn’t quite fit the ethos and gritty style the franchise has adopted over the years. Maybe that changes under new coach J.B. Bickerstaff, but Gasol and Mike Conley are still here, and they will dictate style more than Bickerstaff or the front office. If the Grizzlies are still determined to compete while Gasol and Conley are on the roster, Jackson fits best into the way they play.
With a 14.3 percent block rate and .647 true shooting percentage, finishing easy shots and protecting the basket are in Jackson’s bloodstream. He has a long way to go with the ball in his hands on offense, but Jackson will be effective in a smaller role with the talent around him in Memphis. With offensive stars soaking up possessions, the hope is that Jackson’s turnover issues (17.4 percent turnover rate at Michigan State) will go away.
Hopefully Grizzlies fans can find optimism during a frustrating week.