Memphis enters the 2026 draft with two first-round picks — No. 3 overall and the No. 16 pick acquired from Phoenix — and Bleacher Report projects the Grizzlies to use both aggressively, selecting Duke’s Cameron Boozer at No. 3 and Baylor’s Cameron Carr at No. 16.

The Grizzlies are in full rebuild mode. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are gone, Ja Morant is widely expected to be traded this summer, and Memphis is leaning into a youth movement anchored by Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, and Jaylen Wells. Two first-rounders in the top 16 gives this front office a chance to reshape the franchise’s trajectory in a single night.

Boozer is widely considered the most polished prospect in this class, even if he’s not always the highest-ranked. The Duke freshman is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and 253 pounds of functional strength that makes him a genuine post presence at the NBA level. He scores from multiple areas: the post with footwork that reads at one or two years ahead of most freshmen, the mid-range pull-up off the dribble, and the perimeter where he has shot 40 percent from three on meaningful volume. His basketball IQ earned him Naismith Player of the Year honors and helped Duke win 35 games in a tough ACC and NCAA Tournament environment.

The fit argument for Boozer beside Edey is a legitimate one. Edey is a true center who needs a switchable, versatile big alongside him who can operate away from the paint without crowding the lane. Boozer, who plays best when paired with a rim-running center at the collegiate level, showed no discomfort finding space off the ball and hitting perimeter shots in those situations. The concerns about Boozer’s ceiling involve his lack of explosive athleticism and his defensive versatility against NBA-caliber guards — but in Memphis, paired with a true 5 in Edey, those concerns are mitigated.

The player selected immediately after Boozer’s No. 3 spot is Caleb Wilson, a 6-foot-10, freakishly athletic power forward from North Carolina who is by most accounts the most physically gifted prospect in this class. Wilson has the tools — wingspan, burst, finishing ability, defensive upside — that scouts dream about, and passing on him would be Memphis’s deliberate choice to bet on Boozer’s refinement over Wilson’s raw potential. Wilson goes to Chicago at No. 4 in this projection.

At No. 16, the Grizzlies grab Carr, the Baylor guard who has quietly become one of the most intriguing late-lottery prospects in the country. He’s a 6-foot-6 wing with elite burst, three-point shooting capability, and defensive disruption ability. His Combine performance reportedly turned heads with his athleticism, and he aligns perfectly with what Memphis needs — someone who can shoot off movement, contest on the perimeter, and play beside multiple types of lead guards.

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Cameron Boozer
CBS Sports	Cameron Boozer
Tankathon	Cameron Boozer
Yahoo Sports	Cameron Boozer

CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein, Cameron Salerno, Gary Parrish, and Isaac Trotter all project Boozer to Memphis at No. 3, and Tankathon’s algorithm also lands him there. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor has Boozer third. The consensus is unusual this deep into draft season and reflects a belief across the scouting community that Boozer’s fit in Memphis is among the strongest in the class.

The wing rotation Memphis would construct with Boozer, Carr, Coward, and Wells would be legitimately difficult to score against — four long, physical wings who can each shoot, drive, and defend across multiple positions. Edey provides the interior anchor, and the remaining backcourt depth needs attention, but the foundation would be clear. Memphis hasn’t had this much clarity about what it’s building since the Grit-and-Grind era teams.

With Morant likely on his way out, the Grizzlies need these picks to land and develop quickly. Boozer’s immediate polish and Carr’s athleticism give Memphis tools that can contribute to winning as early as the 2027-28 season. Taking both where they’re projected represents smart basketball — maximizing two assets at their actual draft value rather than reaching for positions of need at the expense of the board.