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

2. Grizzlies can gamble on second ball-handler with Nikola Topic

Nikola Topic is the No. 1 prospect here at FanSided. His promotion to Euroleague staple Crvena Zvezda, where he gets to learn behind all-time basketball genius Milos Teodosic, was recently cut short by injury. He is slated to miss about six weeks, which could impact his draft stock. It's too early to tell.

Either way, being the "No. 1" prospect in 2024 doesn't mean as much as it usually does. There are about five different No. 1 prospects depending on where you look. FIt will matter, personal preference will matter. Memphis doesn't need to land at the top to have a shot at Topic. In 12 Adriatic League games with Mega MIS prior to his Red Star recall, Topic averaged 18.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists (3.2 turnovers) on .523/.259/.855 splits.

Topic, listed at 6-foot-6, profiles as the sort of big playmaking guard NBA teams are starting to covet. The Grizzlies already have a high-usage point guard in Morant, but there's logic behind constructing your offense around multiple playmaking valves. Topic is the draft's preeminent driver. He's great at lulling defenders to sleep before punching the N.O.S. button and exploding to the rim. He doesn't elevate for fancy finishes, but Topic has touch and craft for days.

There are valid concerns about Topic's limited 3-point success and his upside as a well-rounded scorer at the next level. He should create plenty of opportunities off paint pressure, but Topic isn't a prolific pull-up shooter and the 3s aren't falling at the desired clip right now. He's also a troublesome defender, which makes the pairing with Morant especially tricky on paper.

One should expect Topic to start his career as the backup point guard if he lands in Memphis. This isn't the most conventional use of a high lottery pick, but if the Grizzlies want to bet on talent and upside, Topic is worthy of consideration.