5 NBA Draft prospects Grizzlies should highlight with Ja Morant out for the season

The Memphis Grizzlies were dealt a sudden and catastrophic blow on Monday. Ja Morant is out for the season as he prepares to undergo surgery on a torn labrum in his right shoulder, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Morant returned to action for Memphis on Dec. 19 after being suspended for the team's first 25 games. In nine appearances, Morant averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on .471/.275/.813 splits in 35.3 minutes. The Grizzlies went 6-3 with Morant on the floor. Memphis is 7-20 in games without Morant.

Safe to say, any lingering postseason aspirations for the Grizzlies are dead. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. will step back into high-usage roles, but Memphis is essentially riding out a brief one-season tank at this point. All eyes will be on the 2024-25 season, when Morant can hopefully return at full strength.

The 2024 NBA Draft class doesn't have the same top-end talent as 2023, but there are several intriguing prospects worthy of Memphis' attention. The Grizzlies currently own the sixth-best lottery odds in the league, with a strong opportunity to improve those odds in the months to come.

Here are a few prospects Memphis should pay extra-special attention to.

5. Grizzlies can add versatility to the wing with Matas Buzelis

The Grizzlies' wing rotation outside of Demond Bane has been a mess all season. Matas Buzelis has been largely inconsistent in eight games with G-League Ignite, averaging 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists (2.0 turnovers) on .482/.222/.769 splits in 27.7 minutes. But, the upside flashes and his strong track record dating back to high school are enough to merit attention from the Grizzlies. He would plug a significant hole on the roster.

It's easy to envision Buzelis exerting a positive influence in today's NBA. He's the ideal wing build on paper — 6-foot-8 with fluid handles, dynamic shot-making upside, and the mobility to guard multiple positions. He needs to get more physical, both as a scorer and a defender, but Buzelis' 3-point stroke is better than the percentages indicate. He's a clever off-ball scorer, timely with his cuts and quick with his decisions. Buzelis should get better around the rim as his frame fills out.

With Memphis, Buzelis would be well positioned to feast on open 3s and connect dots as a slasher and secondary passer. He won't self-create a ton at this stage, but Buzelis can use his height to shoot over defenders in the mid-range and his long, graceful strides to the basket provide a strong foundation for optimism in a player his size.

The defense comes and goes, but Buzelis has tremendous tools and plus instincts to develop over time. He would have a real chance to start as a rookie, depending on how the rest of Memphis' roster shapes up.