Not sure about you guys, but we’re having a blast with this NBA lottery discussion. If you’re late to the game, we’re breaking down the lottery team by team, thanks to your help. Memphis at No. 4 should be rather simple.

On the night of the lottery, we had a mock draft up about 10 minutes after the city of Portland went into delirium. Since that moment, Memphis has seemed like a lock for a rugged power forward like Florida’s Al Horford. He’s the perfect bruiser to complement Gasol up front. In fact, we’re so smitten with Horford, we think he has a chance to become a Karl Malone-like force in the NBA. Perhaps not a 2-time MVP and the second-leading scorer in League history, but a durable beast inside. Who might Memphis grab besides Horford?

Mike Conley would be a good fit, but we’ve got him going third to Atlanta. If he’s around … do you take him despite having Damon Stoudamire and Kyle Lowry in the mix? We love Lowry. Gritty kid from Villanova only played 10 games last year due to injury, but we see him as Earl Boykins with stronger defense and much better rebounding. And drafting Conley wouldn’t be fulfilling a need – the Grizzlies were the fifth-worst rebounding team in the NBA. Brandan Wright? Don’t think he’s the rebounder Horford is. Corey Brewer would make no sense after taking Rudy Gay last year. Yi Jianlian? Definitely wouldn’t have the immediate impact (or toughness) Horford would. Remember, this is a franchise that had made the playoffs the three years prior to the 2006 debacle.

We’re loving what the Grizzlies are putting together. The West is loaded, so any playoff talk is preposterous. But with Stoudamire tutoring Lowry for two more years, they may be set at point guard. Wildly athletic Rudy Gay could – stress could – become a McGrady-like force if he toughens up. Mike Miller’s probably overpaid at $8.2 million next year, but he’s one of the best three-point shooters in the league. And though the bench is callow, the likes of Hakim Warrick, glue-guy Brian Cardinal, out-of-nowhere scorer Tarence Kinsey, and brawny Lawrence Roberts isn’t a bad start. If they’re in need of anything, it’s probably more scoring punch off the bench (was Kinsey’s season-ending scoring binge for real?) – and we’d go after Jerry Stackhouse for low money in free agency. If Stack wants serious dough, then maybe take a run at a high-reward, low-risk guy like Travis Outlaw. Always liked his game.