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

4. Grizzlies can address win-now aspirations with Reed Sheppard

With so little established top-end talent, teams will focus more than ever on floor and fit in the 2024 NBA Draft. Few prospects present a higher floor than Kentucky's Reed Sheppard. The plucky four-star freshman has been the Wildcats' best player for long stretches this season, averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists (1.5 turnovers) on .574/.547/.871 splits in 26.2 minutes.

Sheppard's shooting splits are bound to fall back to earth eventually, but he is plainly one of the best 3-point marksmen on the board. He has been getting to his spots in a variety of ways for Kentucky — running off screens, pulling up, standing still. He can comfortably set up shot behind the NBA line and he's shooting an impressive 61.0 percent inside the arc, to boot.

When he's run off the line, Sheppard is still dangerous. He's not a point guard so to speak, but he's comfortable navigating screens, driving the lane, and making reads on the move. He should fit perfectly in the Grizzlies' up-tempo offense next to Ja Morant, running the floor, moving without the rock, and boosting flow with his rapid-fire decisions.

There are concerns about Sheppard's defense as a 6-foot-2 guard (with a reported 6-foot-3 wingspan), but his activity level and engagement on that end of the floor pop constantly. He's averaging 2.5 steals per game for the Wildcats. He's a pervasive presence in passing lanes and one of the smartest help defenders on the board. He will get targeted regardless, but Sheppard puts in the work to not be a one-way player.