Zach Edey is arguably the most accomplished prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft.
But accomplished as he is, Edey isn’t exactly a lock to be one of the first names called on draft night.
Edey, the two-time National Player of the Year, is coming off a season in which he led NCAA Division 1 in scoring with 25.2 points per game. At 7-4, Purdue’s All-American center literally stands out above all other draft hopefuls, but questions concerning Edey’s fit and transition to the NBA level have resulted in one of the widest ranges of landing spots among the prospects in his class.
What would be the best landing spot for Edey? Based on reporting and fit, here are a few spots that would be ideal for the Canadian big man.
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Zach Edey 2024 NBA Draft landing spots
Trail Blazers
Picks: 7, 14, 34, 40
Portland, which owns picks Nos. 7 and 14 in the first round, is reportedly high on Edey. The Trail Blazers are rebuilding for a future around Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, and are eyeing a young center to support the pairing.
If the Blazers feel Edey may be gone by the 14th pick, they could look to make a play for him at No. 7 and, in a corresponding move, receive value in return for Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, or both.
Edey fits Portland’s developmental timeline and could be a solid option in the half-court offense, benefitting from Henderson, Sharpe and Anfernee Simons. The Blazers are a few years away from returning from contention and could view Edey as a major part of that push.
Grizzlies
Picks: 9, 39, 57
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has maintained that Edey could go as high as ninth overall to Memphis, which will be thrust back into Western Conference contention after a tumultuous 2023-24 season.
The talent on Memphis’ roster makes it an atypical lottery team. With a core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, Memphis will draft to assess a specific need. In the regular season, Jackson is at his best when sharing the frontcourt with a bigger, more bruising center.
Memphis believes that Edey will continue to improve. The Grizzlies’ ability to have flexibility in their lineups would lighten Edey’s workload as the team could opt for small ball looks in addition to two big looks that feature Edey and Jackson.
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Thunder
Picks: 12
The Thunder own a late-lottery pick and have the luxury of being able to draft solely for need after finishing with the West’s No. 1 seed in 2023-24.
Days after adding Alex Caruso via trade, Oklahoma City can lock in on its need for more frontcourt depth. A 7-4 center would certainly fill that void.
Edey’s time with the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team gives him familiarity with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort. He can slide in the frontcourt alongside Chet Holmgren or add a scoring punch to OKC’s second unit. The pick makes even more sense if Edey continues to develop range on his jumper.
Raptors
Picks: 19, 31
It’s no secret that the Raptors have their eyes on Edey and the franchise often has a preference for homegrown talent. The Toronto native is talented and would fill an important need for his hometown franchise.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri is on record saying the franchise is prioritizing frontcourt depth in its offseason approach. Edey can slide into a backup center position to spell Jakob Poeltl and with time, Edey could become the center of the future as he could develop and grow with Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickley.
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Pelicans
Picks: 21
Jonas Valanciunas is set to hit free agency and New Orleans could part ways with the bruising big man to draft a younger prospect.
If Edey falls to 21, he could be that prospect for the Pelicans.
Edey’s shooting is the swing skill that could make things slightly different, but he could provide the Pelicans with a different version of the dynamic Valanciunas brought for three seasons. As a scorer, Edey brings a punch and his rebounding would take some stress off of Zion Williamson, who has also had good moments alongside bigger, more traditional bigs.
Lakers
Picks: 17, 55
Anthony Davis’ preference to play at the forward position means the Lakers could benefit from taking a player like Edey, a center with generational size.
It’s a new era in LA with JJ Redick leading the charge and Edey is coming off of an impressive college career in the spotlight. In recent years, upperclassmen have been capable of making an immediate impact at the NBA level because of the immense experience they bring with them. Edey could be cut from that same cloth.
LA has no time to wait on development, meaning a player ready to immediately contribute to winning is best.