NBA Mock Draft Series: Memphis Grizzlies

Previous Picks:

1.) Chicago Bulls, Michael Beasley, Kansas State

2.) Miami Heat, Derrick Rose, Memphis

3.) Minnesota Timberwolves, D.J. Augustin, Texas

4.) Seattle Supersonics, Jerryd Bayless, Arizona

The NBA Mock Draft Series continues...

Like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis only won 22 games this season.

After using the fourth overall pick last year on a point guard (Mike Conley Jr.), Memphis can focus on another position this year with the fifth overall pick.

We know that first year head coach Marc Iavaroni will return next season, despite a horrible outcome in his first season.

While Memphis has some work to do in their rebuilding process, they have two talented point guards in Mike Conley Jr. and Kyle Lowry. Not to mention their best player Rudy Gay will be returning along with Juan Carlos Navarro.

“You look at Cleveland and New Orleans and how they’ve become successful through the draft. It’s awful hard to get there by paying large amounts of money for free agents who are toward the ends of their careers. We have decided that the way to get there is to build the nucleus. You can use free agents to fill a spot or two but not to create a superstar. The point is that the core of this team is made up of people we primarily picked up in the draft.”--Michael Heisley, Grizzlies Majority Owner

The Grizzlies' have tremendous upside to become a playoff team once again, but they lack a low-post presence after making one of the more questionable trades in recent memory.

They gave up their best (and probably only) good low-post player Pau Gasol in exchange for Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton.

Memphis could come out of this year's draft as a winner if they make the right move with the fifth overall pick.

Position They Should Draft: PF/C

Who They Should Draft: Brook Lopez, Stanford, PF/C

If Memphis wants a better option at center than Kwame Brown, Jason Collins and Darko Milicic, Brook Lopez may be the guy to go with. Lopez is 7'0'' 260 pound guy who is a good low-post scorer. He can score with his face to the basket, as well as his back to the basket with the hook shot he performed many times during his tenure at Stanford.

He has great hands, coordination, timing and was good at drawing his defender into fouling him in college.

Problem is, he could turn into a role player in Memphis, so is he really top five worthy? He appears to be the best big man is this year's draft, and if he's available Memphis should take a chance on him.

Second Option: DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M, Center

Nice length and athletic ability for his size (7'0")—but could take time to develop. 

And according to some, Jordan has high potential of become a draft bust.

If they don't a big, who should they draft?: O.J. Mayo, USC

Great scorer, has NBA range and can even play some perimeter defense. If Memphis doesn't draft a low-post player, Mayo would be a great complement to Rudy Gay.

Michael Whittenberg, a senior writer for bleacherreport.com, is also one of two NBA Community Leaders.

Information from Yahoo Sports was used in this article.