Memphis Paid to Move From No. 23 to No. 21
The 2019 draft-night exchange was a two-slot move with a future pick attached. Oklahoma City sent the rights to Brandon Clarke, selected No. 21, to Memphis for the rights to Darius Bazley, selected No. 23, plus the Grizzlies' 2024 second-round pick. Memphis was targeting the older Gonzaga forward after taking Ja Morant at No. 2, while the Thunder moved back and added another future asset. The price was more than a simple pick swap, but both teams got the prospect they preferred.
Clarke Delivered Seven Seasons of Memphis Value
Clarke immediately justified Memphis' aggression. He averaged 12.1 points on 61.8 percent shooting as a rookie and earned All-Rookie recognition, then remained a productive frontcourt piece across seven NBA seasons with the franchise. His Memphis career covered 309 regular-season games, with career averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 60.5 percent from the field. Injuries interrupted parts of the run, but the No. 21 rights produced durable rotation value well beyond the typical return from a late first-round move-up.
Bazley and the Extra Pick Both Produced for Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City did not miss on its side of the exchange. Bazley played 221 regular-season games for the Thunder and started 118, including 55 starts in 2020-21 and 53 in 2021-22. In February 2023, Oklahoma City later traded him to Phoenix for Dario Saric, a 2029 second-round pick and cash. The additional 2024 second also had utility before it ever conveyed: the Thunder used that future pick in the 2020 draft-night deal that brought in the rights to Vit Krejci and Admiral Schofield.
The Same Trade Produced Two Successful Development Paths
Memphis got the more efficient NBA player, and Clarke's long run makes the move-up easy to defend. Oklahoma City, however, received four seasons of meaningful Bazley minutes, a later trade return for him and an extra second-round asset that the front office recycled into another prospect package. The underlying 2024 pick eventually became the No. 37 slot, but the Thunder had already extracted value by moving it years earlier. With useful production and downstream assets on both sides, the canonical A- grades fit better than forcing a winner.
Final Verdict
Even Trade — Memphis A-, Oklahoma City A-. Memphis moved from the rights to Darius Bazley at No. 23 plus a 2024 second-round pick to Brandon Clarke at No. 21, then received 309 regular-season games and seven seasons of efficient frontcourt production from Clarke. Oklahoma City got 221 games and 118 starts from Bazley, later moved him for Dario Saric, a 2029 second and cash, and used the extra 2024 second as part of the deal for Vit Krejci and Admiral Schofield. Memphis landed the better individual player, but Oklahoma City's two-asset return produced enough real value to make the completed trade an even A- result.