With less than a week to go before the NBA draft, numerous teams are starting to make big moves to achieve their offseason goals.
According to a report from Kelly Iko, per Evan Sidery, both the Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies have been “aggressively pursuing” opportunities to trade up in the draft for the number three pick, which is currently owned by the Houston Rockets.
Iko says that the Hornets would prioritize young star Reed Sheppard, while the Grizzlies would like to get Donovan Clingan.
The Hornets and Grizzlies have been aggressively pursuing trade up opportunities with the Rockets for the No. 3 overall pick, per @KellyIko (https://t.co/ksdpgAFvvG).
Charlotte would likely prioritize Reed Sheppard, while Memphis continues to covet Donovan Clingan. pic.twitter.com/tYn8HL0Q1s
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 20, 2024
The Grizzlies and Hornets have the No. 9 and No. 6 choices in the first round and could put them together with a few other assets in order to move up to the third pick.
What would the Rockets want in exchange for their coveted pick?
They could definitely demand a lot but the report says they are very intrigued by the idea of landing Marcus Smart, who currently plays for the Grizzlies.
This makes a lot of sense because Rockets coach Ime Udoka used to lead the Celtics when Smart was playing there and they created a strong bond together.
But would the Rockets be willing to give up a draft pick and a potential rookie star in exchange for Smart, who is now 30 years old?
The first round of the draft will be held on June 26, which means that these three teams will have to work hard and fast to make any deal happen.
The Rockets could listen to any offers and perhaps add a win-now player to their roster or they could hold onto their draft pick and draw from the rookie class entering the league.
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