{"id":634441,"date":"2026-03-02T13:23:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/634441\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T13:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:23:15","slug":"o-max-embodies-the-grind-memphis-grizzlies-want-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/634441\/","title":{"rendered":"O-Max Embodies the Grind Memphis Grizzlies Want Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following their buyout agreement with Kyle Anderson<\/a>, the Grizzlies signed Taj Gibson<\/a> to a multi-year contract<\/a>. That still leaves one roster spot open, with many believing that should belong to two-way forward Olivier-Maxence (O-Max) Prosper<\/a>. The Grizzlies are trying to develop an identity again, and O-Max Prosper\u2019s play resembles their Grit \u2018n\u2019 Grind days. O-Max embodies the grind with his defense, energy, and developmental upside, which is deserving of Memphis\u2019 final roster spot.<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies don\u2019t just need talent and veterans. They need tone-setters as part of their rebuild. They need players who defend without needing the ball, crash the glass, and treat every possession like it matters. This is especially important if Tuomas Iisalo remains as the head coach for their next era. Prosper embodies the grind in ways that don\u2019t always show up in box scores but show up consistently on film.<\/p>\n

O-Max Embodies the Grind Memphis Grizzlies Want Back
\nHe has the Defense and Versatility That Fit the Grizzlies\u2019 Identity<\/p>\n

Memphis\u2019 roster construction<\/a> still calls for switchable wings who can guard multiple positions. Cedric Coward<\/a> and Jaylen Wells<\/a> lead their wing rotation in that department, and O-Max has added that element in his brief time. He consistently defends with physicality and discipline at multiple positions, including as a small-ball center. At 6-foot-8 with length and mobility, he can check opposing wings, switch onto guards, and hold his own against small-ball forwards. That kind of versatility matters.<\/p>\n

The Western Conference forces teams to defend in space, so Memphis can\u2019t afford defensive drop-offs when starters sit. O-Max embodies the grind by bringing energy in limited minutes by diving for loose balls, fighting through screens, and contesting without fouling. Those habits often lift defensive lineups and are useful for a team that sometimes lacks cohesion during stretches.<\/p>\n

Beyond his raw tools, O-Max plays with urgency. The former 2023 first-round draft pick is also shooting 40.3% from three on 67 attempts this season. That was considered a weakness in his early career (26% in two seasons in Dallas). While the jury is out on whether that will continue, he checks off the box of Memphis needing wings that complement its offensive creators. O-Max\u2019s impact scales alongside primary playmakers.<\/p>\n

\"FebFeb 25, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (18) defends as Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) shoots during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
\nHe has Developmental Upside Worth Investing In<\/p>\n

While his defense and surprising three-point shooting have been apparent, his rebounding is a plus as well. He just recorded his first career double-double against his former team with 16 points and 10 rebounds. He is averaging 7.3 rebounds per 36 minutes this season after averaging 8.0 rebounds per 36 in two seasons with the Mavericks. For a player who primarily plays on the wing and is undersized when playing in the frontcourt, that is a promising development.<\/p>\n

O-Max embodies the grind in a way that suggests untapped offensive growth remains. His cutting instincts, transition finishing, and improving perimeter mechanics hint at a rotation-caliber role if development continues. Due to the NBA\u2019s two-way rules<\/a>, he has five games remaining to play this season on his current contract. Although he has played 35 of his 50 eligible games, the 10 games he dressed out and didn\u2019t play count towards his total.<\/p>\n

OMax embodies the grind not just through effort, but through hunger. The Grizzlies once built their culture around toughness, defensive pride, and blue-collar energy. That makes him the logical choice for Memphis\u2019 final roster spot. Ultimately, if the Memphis Grizzlies truly wants their edge back, this is the kind of bet they should make.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Following their buyout agreement with Kyle Anderson, the Grizzlies signed Taj Gibson to a multi-year contract. That still…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":634442,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3795],"tags":[7,3522,294,2597,293,177,4070,6,10824,7915],"class_list":{"0":"post-634441","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-memphis-grizzlies","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-cedric-coward","10":"tag-grizzlies","11":"tag-jaylen-wells","12":"tag-memphis","13":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","14":"tag-memphisgrizzlies","15":"tag-nba","16":"tag-olivier-maxence-prosper","17":"tag-taj-gibson"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116159802156369871","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=634441"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634441\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/634442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=634441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=634441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=634441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}