Two was a relevant number again for the Memphis Grizzlies at the NBA draft lottery.

In 2019, the Grizzlies jumped to the No. 2 overall pick that put them in position to select Ja Morant. This time, their fortune with the number wasn’t as good.

They dropped two spots after having the seventh-best odds to secure the No. 1 overall pick. Memphis is now scheduled to pick ninth on June 26 at the 2024 NBA Draft.

An ideal situation would have been the Grizzlies securing a top-four pick and adding a big man to round out what should be a playoff-caliber rotation. Now that they'll be picking at No. 9, the offseason shifts in a different direction.

Options for Grizzlies with No. 9 draft pick

There isn’t expected to be a generational player in this draft like Victor Wembanyama was last season. In fact, the top 10 projected players are tightly bunched on most mock drafts.

The two top center prospects, Alexandre Sarr and Donovan Clingan, are likely to be gone by the ninth pick. Without those options, the Grizzlies should select whoever is the best player available. They have prioritized shooting in recent drafts, and if they follow that approach, two of the best shooters in this draft, guard Reed Sheppard and forward Dalton Knecht, make sense if they’re available.

Grizzlies trade up in the NBA draft?

Another silver lining can be found with one look at the current draft order. Of the seven teams and eight picks ahead of Memphis, the ones picking first and second are the ones that make sense for a center addition.

Once you get past the top two, Houston, San Antonio, Detroit, Charlotte and Portland have current young centers who have played well enough to not be replaced by a rookie. If Clingan starts to fall beyond the top four in the draft, Memphis probably won’t be the only team with its sights set on grabbing the UConn product.

Teams above the Grizzlies will see that there’s a market for him and likely be interested in a trade to gain assets. If Clingan is a player Memphis values, he still could be a realistic option in the top six.

Trade down in the draft?

So what if Clingan or Sarr aren’t available? Maybe Sheppard is off the board and the Grizzlies aren’t sold on the 23-year-old Knecht. At that point, trading down may be the best option. They could gain future draft assets while making sure they don’t reach too far for a big man. Yves Missi and Kyle Filipowski are two bigs projected to go in the middle of the first round.

Time to get a veteran big man

Memphis may not have a pressing need to address at No. 9, but there will be some teams jumping at the opportunity to add a top-10 draft talent. Instead of trading down, the Grizzlies could find a team with quality frontcourt play and aim for a return centered on a big man.

NBA teams haven’t given the center position the most love in recent years, and the Grizzlies could be ready to cash in on that decreased value. If they trade their No. 9 pick for a center, the returning player should be someone capable of starting.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies' options with disappointing 9th pick in NBA draft