Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 30. Theo Maledon, Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies’ guard rotation is pretty fragile beyond Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and De’Anthony Melton. Theo Maledon can give the second unit some more juice. He received plenty of playing time as a rookie, and even started 49 games for the rebuilding Thunder. NBA’s worst team or not, that kind of experience is valuable. Maledon also played real professional minutes overseas before he joined the NBA. The Grizzlies should have confidence in him carving out a niche long-term.
Maledon’s rookie year wasn’t terribly efficient, but he hit shots and fit into multiple offensive roles for OKC. He’s not a full-time lead guard, but at 6-foot-4, Maledon can share the floor with Morant, or lead the second unit as a spark-plug scorer. He can shoot off the dribble or off the catch, and he’s a better passer than his assist numbers would suggest.
As a rookie, Maledon averaged 10.1 points and 3.5 assists in 27.4 minutes per game, shooting 36.8 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from deep. Those percentages should creep up over time, especially with a more defined role in Memphis.