The AM/DM podcast: How the Grizzlies draft lottery chances could change
Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. waves during a video tribute from his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies, in the first half of an NBA basketball game between the teams on Feb. 20, 2026, in Memphis. (Brandon Dill/AP file)
Last week, NBA fans learned about a new detail within changes to the draft lottery rules.
The new language would prohibit NBA teams from having a top 5 lottery pick in three consecutive years — and it would also apply to picks acquired in trades. That rule would also be applied retroactively to 2025.
Those three factors taken together would mean the team that could be most directly impacted by that particular rule would be the Memphis Grizzlies — even though Memphis hasn’t picked in the top five since 2019.
On Thursday, the NBA is scheduled to vote on the new guidelines. Before they do that, though, we’ve got Grizzlies beat reporter Drew Hill joining us today to walk us through it.
Listen in.
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Topics
AM/DM NBA Draft Lottery Memphis GrizzliesMary Cashiola
Mary Cashiola has been a Memphis journalist for nearly two decades, beginning her career covering city government and local neighborhoods at the Memphis Flyer before being hired by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s administration.
Before joining The Daily Memphian, she was the managing editor of the Memphis Business Journal, which was named one of the top 10 Best Designed Newspapers in the world by the Society of News Design while she was there.
She also has a background in advertising, with a focus on higher education and the hospitality industry.
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