Memphis and Charlotte are the teams most aggressively calling the Houston Rockets in pursuit of a trade for the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports.
The Grizzlies and Hornets are currently slotted at No. 9 and No. 6 in the first-round order, so a trade could potentially include that pick and some form of further sweetener in exchange for the No. 3.
The Grizzlies and Hornets, in particular, have been rather aggressive in their hopes of acquiring the No. 3 pick, sources said.
Both general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of veteran guard Marcus Smart, league sources said. Is there a possibility Memphis could entice Houston by offering Smart in addition to the No. 9 pick and future assets, to move up and grab [Donovan] Clingan if he isn’t already gone? Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, who has fans within the Rockets organization, could be available if Houston were to move back.
Smart was a starter for Udoka’s 2021-22 Celtics, when they reached the 2022 NBA Finals and won the Eastern Conference. He won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award for that season.
Now 30 years old, Smart should have at least a few prime playing years left. Because of that, Memphis isn’t likely to treat him as a throw-in to a potential deal. Thus, whether such a trade is possible could come down to what names are on the board at the No. 3 slot.
For example, Iko writes that Clingan — a strong, rim-protecting center out of Connecticut — could make sense for the Grizzlies. However, if Clingan is off the board, it’s unclear whether a proposal from Memphis would include an asset as desirable as Smart.
The first round takes place next Wednesday night, June 26.
Donovan Clingan is gaining momentum as the No. 1 prospect for the Houston Rockets — with Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard closely behind — ahead of next week’s draft, league sources tell @TheAthletic.
More from Draft Notebook 2.0: https://t.co/4D2wD89kSR
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) June 20, 2024
