"The Memphis Grizzlies finessed New Orleans Pelicans to earn a cheap first-round pick"

That was a headline from Memphis Grizzlies beat writer Jack Williams 7 months ago! At the time, the Grizzlies were absolutely sure the 2022 first round pick of the Lakers would go to Memphis via New Orleans, as part of the Jonas V trade.

Quoting Williams: "In a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis traded for the possibility of getting the Lakers’ 2022 first-round pick. What’s the caveat, you ask? If the pick lands anywhere in the top ten, this pick will go to New Orleans. To put it even more simply, the Grizzlies will get this pick.

Heck, LeBron James could miss the entire 2021 season and the Lakers wouldn’t fall into the lower third of the league.

The Grizzlies originally acquired this pick in the Jonas Valanciunas deal. The headliner on this deal was that Memphis send JV to the Pelicans, and in exchange, they’d move up in the first and second rounds of the 2021 NBA Draft. Eventually, they’d end up picking Ziaire Williams with the 10th-overall pick.

The part that went under the radar, however, was the fact that the Grizzlies were all but guaranteed another first-round pick in this deal — one that originally belonged to the Lakers. Granted, this may be a late-round pick, it’s still a great asset for the organization to have."

End of Williams quote.

Now, I understand that there is a slight possibility that the Lakers pick will slide down to 11 or lower, but the odds of that are VERY LOW. So, sons, I am not counting my chickens just yet. But if we do wind up with the Lakers first round pick, I just might have to write Mr. Williams and remind him about counting chickens before they are hatched!!

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