What the Grizzlies could do with the 32nd pick in the NBA Draft

The Memphis Grizzlies have the second pick of the second round but maybe not for long

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) brings the ball up the court in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies own one pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft going into Wednesday evening, and the team is listening to trade offers for the pick, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Memphis, like the Knicks at No. 31, is actively fielding offers to move the No. 32 pick for Night 2 of the draft, per sources. So picks 31 and 32 are up for auction in trades around the NBA -- with future assets being proposed. https://t.co/HUbpZCinlB

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2026

Charania says future assets are being proposed, so Memphis would be adding to its war chest of future picks, which is already among the league's deepest. That stash got deeper last night after the Grizzlies made two deals.

The first trade was with the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Memphis trading No. 16 for No. 17 and two future second-rounders. Immediately after that, the Grizzlies traded No. 17 to the Detroit Pistons for No. 21 and three more future second-round picks. Zach Kleiman added five future seconds to his asset pool, and the cost was moving down just five spots.

Memphis presumably got who they wanted at 21 in New Zealand Breakers wing Karim Lopez.

To recap: the Grizzlies moved back from No. 16 to No. 17, then No. 17 to No. 21 -- accumulating five second-round picks to move back just five spots. https://t.co/u3zoRZTOpz

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2026

It is worth noting that Kleiman said none of the picks Memphis acquired Tuesday night are in this year's or next year's draft, per the Commercial Appeal's Jonah Dylan.

Zach Kleiman says none of the second round picks the Grizzlies acquired tonight (five of them) are in this year's draft or next year's draft.

— Jonah Dylan (@TheJonahDylan) June 24, 2026

The second round is always filled with trades, especially since the league went to a two-day draft format, giving teams more time to negotiate deals. Predicting who the Grizzlies could trade with and what exactly the return would be is next to impossible.

For now, let's look at some of the best available players heading into round two.

Isaiah Evans | Wing | Duke

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) dribbles the ball against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

A teammate of Grizzlies No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer, Evans was projected to go in the first round in multiple mock drafts. The 20-year-old sophomore averaged 15 points per game on 43/36/86 shooting splits. At 6-6 with a 6-8.75 wingspan, Evans profiles as a prototypical wing with sharp movement shooting skills.

Although the three-point percentage went down from 41.6 percent as a freshman, that was due to a major volume and shot difficulty increase. Evans is a knockdown shooter and took on a much bigger role in year two with the Blue Devils.

His length gives him the chance to be impactful in passing lanes, making blocks and deflections defensively. On the ball, he needs to work on navigating screens and playing with more physicality in general on the defensive end.

Meleek Thomas | Guard | Arkansas

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas (1) shoots in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Thomas gained plenty of first-round buzz later in the process, being projected to land in a similar range to Evans. If he knew before the draft that he would slide to the second round, Thomas could have very well returned to Arkansas.

The 6-4 Thomas took a backseat to seventh overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. in Arkansas' backcourt, but Thomas is a bucket-getter in his own right. He might be the best shooter in the class. Thomas excels at shooting off the catch and dribble in almost any circumstance, which can be a bit to a fault sometimes.

Right now, his shot diet is very jumper-heavy, so Thomas will have to put on strength to help his downhill driving game and defensive impact. It is easy to buy into the upside of another John Calipari guard, a coach-to-position connection that has a high hit rate.

Henri Veesaar | Big | North Carolina

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) dunks the ball Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Veesaar is another player who had plenty of first round projections, but saw other bigs in his range like Tarris Reed Jr. and Zuby Ejiofor go ahead of him.

Offensively, there is a lot to like. Veesaar at 7-0 is effective around the rim despite having a lean build. His touch expands to the outside, where he shot 42.6 percent from three in 2025-26. It is worth considering how well the shot will hold up at the next level with an uptick in competition and volume.

His defense is likely the reason for the slide. Veesaar is not a great rim protector and lacks the quickness to guard on the perimeter, so he is the kind of big that needs to be paired with a big-time defensive four or five.