Memphis traded down twice and still landed Karim López at No. 21. Here's how his draft grade shook out, the path that got the Grizzlies there, and what comes next.
The Memphis Grizzlies took an unconventional path through the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, trading back multiple times before ultimately selecting Karim López. With the dust settling on the first day of draft night, early grades are in for the franchise's rebuilding strategy.
The franchise selected Cameron Boozer with the No.3 overall pick. Memphis's draft night took an unexpected turn after they moved the No.16 pick, triggering a series of trades that reshaped their first-round plans. Memphis eventually landed López, who the Detroit Pistons selected at No.21 before his rights were traded to the Grizzlies.
Earlier in the night, the Pistons acquired Ebuka Okorie from the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Memphis and Oklahoma City completed a separate deal that helped pave the way for López's arrival, and the Bleacher Report graded all 30 teams in the NBA and the Grizzlies had a solid report card.
Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley provided grades for the 2026 NBA Draft for every round 1 pick.
Karim López: B-
Before the draft, López, who is the first player born in Mexico to be drafted in the first round, was projected to land between the 17th and 18th pick in the draft. Needless to say, not many guessed that he would land with the Grizzlies who selected Boozer with the third pick.
Both of Memphis's picks play small forward, and the organization will need to be creative with how they approach each player. Buckley provided the Grizzlies' selection of López, the New Zealand Breakers forward, with a B-.
"López, the best prospect to come out of Mexico, looks the part of an NBA swingman as a recently turned 19-year-old," wrote Buckley.
"He has a solid build, he embraces physicality, and he is aggressive attacking downhill. He is most interesting with the ball in his hands, but he's a smart mover away from it. López isn't much of an athlete by NBA standards, though, so his skills must be razor-sharp. Right now, they're more like a butter knife. His shots can be all over the place, his handle is rigid and rudimentary, and his defense is too scatterbrained," he added.
Franchise Needs
Before entering the draft, the team needed to add frontcourt depth, including a backup center, wing depth, floor spacing, and more guard depth. While the organization didn't add a guard, they received two big men who added needed depth.
While there is no guarantee that López will play in the NBA during the 2026-27 season, he could develop into a wing who can space the floor and provide versatility in the frontcourt, on or off the bench.
Right now, there is a concern that his athleticism and perimeter shooting aren't enough to play with high minutes with Boozer. Yet, Buckley believes there could be some positives with the pick.
"For now, though, the tools and talents seem worth the wager, especially for a club that isn't looking to contend in the immediate future.
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