Grizzlies Insider: Combine changes should help Memphis evaluate draft talent
NC State guard DJ Horne shoots during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against Purdue at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
In a little more than a week, the Memphis Grizzlies will learn their NBA Draft fate on lottery night.
The work, however, has already begun.
The Grizzlies have started bringing in draft prospects for workouts, with a few names, including those of North Carolina State’s DJ Horne and Tulane’s Sion James, already leaking out.
This is all part of standard procedure for the franchise, which will evaluate a number of players — lottery-level prospects or not — over the next month-plus.
It’s only the first step in a jam-packed two months.
More critical evaluation opportunities are on the horizon, some of which could be relevant to multiple teams in the city.
But more on that in a moment. First, it is worth issuing a refresher.
The league has made changes this year to the combine process, which will take place in Chicago in the days following the May 12 lottery.
As part of a new collective bargaining agreement that kicked in last July, all players invited to the combine will be required to attend and participate in most aspects in order to maintain their draft eligibility.
Players must go through medical exams, share their medical history, complete movement testing and conduct team and media interviews. They are also required to take part in strength and agility testing, shooting drills, performance testing and body measurements.
They will not be required to play in 5-on-5 games.
Still, these are much tighter guidelines than players were forced to follow in the past, when they could opt out of participating in certain drills. It should create a better evaluation opportunity for franchises, especially those at the top of the draft.
According to a Wednesday report from ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givonny, ballots for teams to select which players they would like to see at the combine have already been submitted. The league has not yet announced the results.
Will Memphis Tigers guard David Jones make the cut?
Jones averaged more than 21 points per game last season for the Tigers and declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility last week. He could be on the radar as a second-round selection or a two-way contract player.
Memphis would be thrilled to get Jones back for another season in Tiger blue, but a combine invite could be a major step forward in making the professional leap.
More from your Insider:
What Mike Miller said about adding new client Ja Morant
Mike Miller believes Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will show the world he’s a top five NBA player, the former Grizz-turned-NBA agent said in the wake of Morant hiring Miller and his agency to represent him.
Ja Morant names Mike Miller as his new agent
Ja Morant reportedly hires former Memphis Grizzlies player and Tigers assistant coach Mike Miller as his new agent.
Topics
Grizzlies Insider Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies basketball Subscriber Only NBAAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Drew Hill
Drew Hill covers the Memphis Grizzlies and is a top-10 APSE winner. He has worked throughout the South writing about college athletics before landing in Memphis.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.