2023 NBA Draft Grizzlies Profile: Trayce Jackson-Davis

NBA teams tend to view players with multiple years of experience in the league in one of two contrasting ways. On one end of the spectrum, some teams veer away from these players, seeing them as more “finished products” who lack potential and upside that can be molded. On the opposite end, some teams shift towards these players, viewing their games as more matured and ready to contribute from day one. 

The Grizzlies have never been hesitant to draft older prospects. They drafted Brandon Clarke in 2019 who had played four years in college Gonzaga. In the following year’s draft in 2020, they selected Desmond Bane after he finished a four-year playing career at Texas Christian University. Even both their first-round picks in 2022 in Jake LaRavia and David Roddy played through their junior years at their respective colleges. If the Grizzlies wish to stay in this direction, perhaps they should be looking at Trayce Jackson-Davis, a senior out of the University of Indiana, with the 25th pick. 

Jackson-Davis was one of the most productive players in college in this entire draft who has potential as a defender and secondary playmaker, but his overall upside in the league leaves a lot to be desired and will depend heavily on team fit.

Why Trayce Jackson-Davis Fits with the Grizzlies

The most attractive tools in Jackson-Davis’s repertoire are his rebounding, rim protection, and hustle. Standing at 6’9” with a 7’1” wingspan, Jackson-Davis brings nothing but intensity and energy whenever he’s on the floor. He frequently outworks his opposition and shows great timing and intuition, especially on the defensive end, to block shots – his 2.9 blocks per game his final year at Indiana were the fourth-highest in Division 1 Basketball.

Jackson-Davis plays bigger than his size; he runs all over the floor and is an impressive athlete. He’ll likely function best as a 4 or small-ball 5 in the NBA. Given that the Grizzlies will be without Brandon Clarke for much of next season, this could be a welcome addition. The Grizzlies have always admired tough, hard-nosed players that bring forth a strong effort on the court, and Jackson-Davis is no exception.

Passing is another element of Jackson-Davis’s game that should translate very well to the league. He is an extremely high IQ player with excellent court vision for a big man. He is capable of making stellar reads on the floor and making highlight plays. He outright exploded his final year in college as he averaged 4.0 assists, a number that doubled his assists per game total in his junior season. Jackson-Davis’s passing chops can add a different wrinkle to the Grizzlies’ offense as he can be an effective initiator from the high or mid-post and hit players for timely, open shots.

Why Trayce Jackson-Davis Doesn’t Fit with the Grizzlies

There’s no way of getting around it, Trayce Jackson-Davis is extremely limited offensively. He played like a traditional back-to-the-basket big in college and leveraged his size and strength to bully opposing players and get baskets in the paint. Nearly all of his shot attempts came within a few feet of the basket and, in instances where he put shots up from 10 ft and beyond, he looked extremely uncomfortable. Jackson-Davis is the furthest thing from a shooter; he only shot three three-pointers in college and did not make a single one of them. His free throw shooting was average at around 70%, so maybe his shot is something that can be worked on at the next level. But for now, it is a major handicap in his game that is likely a major reason why he is mocked to be a late first-early second-round draft pick.

There is a big question as to if Jackson-Davis can even function offensively and find a role in the NBA. He will not be able to dominate smaller players as he did in college and, with little to no shooting upside, he will struggle to see the floor, as it will be hard to slot him into lineups that he can be effective in. At 23 years old already, you have to wonder if he is even capable of growing his offensive game past what he already showed in college. Obviously, this is not an ideal fit for the Grizzlies who already have their fair share of struggles making plays in the offensive half-court. 

Jackson-Davis also struggles to defend smaller, quicker players in space. He most likely will only be able to guard the 4-5 in the NBA and could find himself getting abused in pick-and-roll actions. While the Grizzlies have the reigning DPOY in Jaren Jackson Jr, Jackson-Davis’s lack of versatility could make defensive coverages difficult.

The Verdict

Ultimately, while Trayce Jackson-Davis has some positives as a prospect, the negatives on offense are simply too glaring and they are in areas that are not only essential for the modern NBA, but essential for the Grizzlies to take the next step as title contenders. Therefore, it would be surprising if the Grizzlies selected Trayce Jackson-Davis. The reality is that they already have a plethora of undersized big men on the roster already and Jackson-Davis would just add to an already loaded unit in that regard.

However, on the right team, Jackson-Davis can certainly become a decent enough NBA role player. His energy and rim protection as well as his elite passing ability for a big can provide a spark on certain bench units.