What Grizzlies' Cam Boozer draft pick means for Ja Morant, Memphis' immediate future

The Grizzlies found their latest franchise cornerstone. He’ll look to revitalize a long-dormant organization with dreams of competing among the NBA’s heavyweights.

Memphis selected Duke star Cameron Boozer with the No. 3 pick in the 2026 Draft. It was an easy choice for the franchise following AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson’s selections. Boozer, 18, projects to offer positional versatility and two-way potential for a team that was one of the league’s least effective in 2025-26.

The Grizzlies find themselves in something of a stupor following the 2025-26 campaign. Here’s a look at what Memphis fans can expect from Boozer during his rookie season.

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Cam Boozer fit with Grizzlies

Boozer should immediately slot into Memphis’ lineup, offering strength, passing, and defensive versatility in Tuomas Iisalo’s frontcourt. He is one of the lone bright spots on a roster filled with question marks, joining Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, and Zach Edey as young players tasked with ushering in the next generation of Grizzlies standouts.

The frontcourt is in flux. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s departure left a gaping hole in Memphis’ interior presence. Edey and Jackson have attempted to shore up that void, though it hasn’t worked as well as one might have hoped — the Grizzlies held the No. 3 overall pick for a reason.

Boozer is a fascinating prospect with intriguing upside. He’s a gifted post scorer known to “pummel players down low,” as The Sporting News' Steph Noh writes. His flashes of passing suggest a player well beyond his years. He impressed both as a ball-handler and a roll man in Duke’s pick-and-roll sets, often delivering sharp passes directly into teammates’ shooting pockets. He should take on a similar role in Memphis.

His rebounding should also translate well at the NBA level. And while the Grizzlies don’t project to be a strong defensive unit, Boozer’s defensive tools remain eye-catching.

What Grizzlies' Cam Boozer draft pick means for Ja Morant

Boozer doesn't play the same position as Ja Morant. While he could presumably find success in a Morant-led attack, it seems likelier that Morant finds himself on the outs heading into the campaign. The former No. 2 pick has been heavily linked with a move away in recent weeks, with both the Kings and the Timberwolves rumored to have dropped their interest in Morant. While the two-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year boasts some captivating traits — he's one of the sport's most dynamic drivers at his peak — his perceived off-court issues and dwindling performances have made him something of a pariah among franchises. Theoretically, Morant could keep his place on the Grizzlies' roster. But a divorce seems more likely — with or without Boozer.