RealGM

To MEM: Kessler
To HOU: #9 +#10
To UTA: #3

Why for MEM: Get the defensive center they want without giving up Smart
Why for Hou: Taking 2 shots instead of 1 in this draft
Why for Jazz: FO views Clingan as an upgrade over Kessler. If he has an offensive game and can shot FT over 60% he can be the starter center for years to come

I know some of you believe there is no talent in this draft, but I'm not giving up Clingan or Sheppard for 9/10. I do not believe Kessler has the value to get you from 10 to 3 nor do I believe he is worth pick 9.

Feels really great for Utah, but requires Houston to hate everyone at the top of the draft and be willing to take on 2 more young players when they already have ton of young players and requires Memphis to really love Kessler enough to forgo trading down, picking up more assets, and getting a similar caliber center for 4 years instead of 2.

All of that seems pretty unlikely I'm afraid. The time to have gotten this kind of value out of Kessler was after his high impact rookie year. It's too late now imo.

Don't like it for Houston or Utah.

Houston should go with one higher tier guy at this point, and I like Kessler quite a bit more than this.

To be productive:
1. Memphis would just draft Kessler should they have ever liked him.
2. It seems as Memphis is no longer interested in traditional centres who cannot defend the perimeter (e.g. Kessler, Valancuinas, Adams, Clingan).
For those two reasons alone, the OP may not attract much attention in Memphis.

I like it for Houston. I think Sheppard is probably their guy, but I have this draft as very flat. Much better to take two swings with two of Dillingham/Carter/Collier/McCain/Knecht/Edey or whomever they like/falls. There is probably one guy in this draft who is a franchise player, and I don't know who it is. It is unlikely anyone they draft will start anytime soon, so they're essentially drafting backups, filling the end of the bench with talent and hoping.

I think there is a slight chance Sheppard is the starting PG after next season, Fred leaves... I think he's Grayson Allen... great shooter, better defender than people give him credit for, only moves the needle for a team on the cusp of a title. Not really a point guard. If they take Clingan, I don't see any world where he starts over Sengun, nor do they play effectively together. I don't think he gets the backup spot over Adams his first year. I can't see any value there beyond a future trade.

There may just be too great of a gap in perceptions of Kessler's value to execute a trade at this point. And fwiw... on a podcast Friday, Tony Jones of The Athletic dismissed that rumor of his availability as speculative nonsense.

I suppose its possible from Houston's perspective, depending on whose available. Looks like we may be deciding between Clingan and Sheppard....

The front office may see little difference between Reed, Dillingham, Topic, McCain at PG, and little difference between Clingan, Ware, Messi, Edy for a defensive big, so they may just be good with their second choice on both lists. I like Dillingham, for example, and seemingly more than most.

An alternative may be something like 3 late firsts in future drafts in place of #9, as Houston might want to restock the cabinet for future moves.

I'd rather cut Houston out and do Kessler + 29 for 9 if that is available.