Best Options for Grizzlies with Draft Capital Acquired in Desmond Bane Trade

The Memphis Grizzlies made a pivot by trading Desmond  Bane to Orlando for the No. 16 pick in the 2025 draft, multiple future first-round picks, Kentavious Caldwell‑Pope & Cole Anthony. Let's take a look at who could make sense at pick No. 16 in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Collin Murray-Boyles

CMB — Mar 4, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) drives around Georgia Bulldogs forward Dylan James (13) in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

If Memphis is seeking a long-term, multi-positional forward who can raise the collective feel and processing of a unit, Murray-Boyles is the guy. It may require a trade-up in the draft, but he brings immediate rotational value as a defender - someone who processes quickly, rotates on time, and guards multiple positions without fouling. He is versatile offensively: keeps the ball moving, short-rolls with quick reads, finishes with length, sets effective screens, and scores with a real face-up driving package.

He is not a bankable shooter yet, but you live with that early on when the decision-making, instincts, and defensive versatility are this dependable. In a frontcourt with Jaren Jackson Jr., his ability to toggle between small-ball 5 and forward spots creates lineup optionality. There is optimism that Murray-Boyles will be able to shoot off the catch and with his face-up jumper, thanks to his improving touch efficiency and volume over the past couple of years.

Long-term, he gives you one of the highest upsides in the class as a bully ball driver with all defensive upside, motor, and elite feel—traits that consistently scale in the playoffs.

Cedric Coward

Cedric Coward offers a frictionless mould that seamlessly slots into modern NBA lineups. At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he brings instant value as a "3-and-D" wing who can shoot off the catch, attack tilted defenses with his size and twitch, and process decisions quickly. He doesn’t require real usage to be effective - he thrives playing off advantages, finishing them from all areas of the court, and being able to maintain advantages when the ball is in his hands.

Defensively, his length, mobility, and anticipation give him real versatility, with the potential long term to guard up and down across perimeter matchups. The handle is limited for his age and currently restricts his on-ball creation, but the touch and coordination suggest it can be developed over time to a degree where he can attack off the catch against more set defenses. In Memphis, with primary creation handled by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Coward can ease into his role without the burden of initiating offense early. This would enable his strengths to shine early while the skill development catches up.

Noah Penda

Noah Penda may not be mocked in the top 20, but his combination of tools, toughness, and defensive upside makes him an intriguing trade-down target for a team like Memphis.

At 6-foot-8, he brings real All-Defensive potential - staying attached through actions, contesting without fouling, and real ground coverage. The combination of size, ground coverage, and processing makes him quite the versatile defender that is scarce in the NBA.

Offensively, he has his limitations. The lack of vertical pop from a standstill limits him as a finisher at the rim, and while the shooting is still developing, the catch-and-shoot foundation is workable. As his form continues to quicken and he tightens his alignment, especially in tighter windows, there’s a path to functional spot-up shooting.

His processing on defense also applies on offense, as he is fantastic at connecting possessions and maintaining advantages. Penda doesn’t need touches to affect games - and in Memphis’ developmental system, with established on-ball creators and time to grow, the bet on his upside could pay off while acquiring future draft capital in a trade-down.