The Grizzlies have a draft decision that could reshape the middle of the first round, and Tarris Reed Jr. is now being mentioned as a surprise name to watch. Memphis owns picks No. 3, No. 16 and No. 32 in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the clearest path to Reed would be a move up from one of those lower slots.

That is why Reed is drawing attention now in Spurs Team search results and draft chatter around Memphis: the Grizzlies hold enough capital to make a move, but not so much certainty that every pick is safe. Zach Kleiman has a long track record of moving draft picks, and the team is already being linked to trade-up conversations from No. 16. An alternative would be to use No. 32 to get back into the first round, which would fit a frontcourt need the roster still has to address.

Reed’s stock has been shifting. Some mocks had him going in the early second round, but he is now looking more like a late first-round selection, and FanSided’s 2026 NBA Draft Big Board has him 25th overall. That range matters for Memphis because it sits close enough to the team’s own picks to make a trade-up realistic without having to chase the top of the board.

The Grizzlies also should not spend much energy worrying about the No. 3 pick being traded. The more practical question is whether Kleiman uses No. 16 or No. 32 to climb a few spots and secure a player he values. Memphis already showed that it can do that kind of deal in 2021, when it traded up to take Santi Aldama 30th overall, giving up No. 40 and two future second-round picks to get back into the first round.

That history is what makes Reed’s name worth tracking. Memphis has a president of basketball operations who is comfortable making draft-day moves, a roster that needs frontcourt depth, and a mid-to-late first-round target who could be within reach. The unresolved part is simple: whether the Grizzlies decide to spend No. 16 or No. 32 to go get him, or wait and risk watching someone else do it first.