Who are the five most interesting players of the season for the Grizzlies?<\/p>\n
I was going to leave Edey off, because everyone knows the deal with him. If healthy, he\u2019s going to have such a profound impact on this team. However, the \u201cif healthy\u201d looms like a large cloud over the Grizzlies\u2019 season and foreseeable future.<\/p>\n
While it\u2019s known, Edey remains so interesting for several reasons.<\/p>\n
For starters, the sample of 11 (but really, 10) games was absolutely mesmerizing. Edey\u2019s impact was a shining feature. His two-way rim influence is undeniable. He keeps a lid on the basket defensively with his rim protection, presence in drop coverage, and his paint deterrence. Offensively, he creates space with his screening, finishes plays at an automatic clip (70 percent at the rim last season), and hauls in rebounds. He simply makes life easier on both sides on the floor.<\/p>\n
If he plays, the Grizzlies are going to be good. That\u2019s not a prediction, it\u2019s a spoiler. From the moment of his return, the Grizzlies ranked the following in the NBA<\/a>:<\/p>\n 3rd in Defensive Rating (108.6)<\/p>\n 6th in NET Rating (5.2)<\/p>\n 5th in Offensive Rebounding Percentage (34.8)<\/p>\n 1st in Rebounding Percentage (55.3)<\/p>\n Yes, the data is noisy with the sample. However, this profile is an outline for a good team. Even if the numbers stabilize towards the middle of the pack \u2014 mainly the NET rating \u2014 the Grizzlies are likely competing for a play-in spot if they have Edey for a considerable amount of games. The number of games is a big question, not just with his health but also the caution the Grizzlies use with his injury.<\/p>\n When Edey plays, he has an All-Defense level impact to his game. Obviously, the 65-game threshold may be his only roadblock to such honors.<\/p>\n One more element to the intrigue is that he\u2019s eligible for a contract extension next summer. Let\u2019s just get through the remainder of the season, though.<\/p>\n Edey\u2019s preseason has been encouraging when assessing where he\u2019s at with his health and game. Fingers crossed it parlays into a steady regular season.<\/p>\n Ty Jerome is going to be a floor-raiser for the Memphis Grizzlies, and it\u2019s particularly going to show with the longstanding big weakness: half-court offense. When he was on the floor last season, the Grizzlies scored 1.08 points per possession in the half-court \u2014 which would\u2019ve been a league-leading mark<\/a>. He blends touch and craft \u2014 can pull from deep off the dribble, gets to his spots out of the pick-and-roll, has one of the best floaters in basketball, and can finish through contact.<\/p>\n Jerome has a transition to make from a sparkplug off the bench to a lead guard, so it\u2019ll be fascinating to see how that blends. Particularly, how does he involve Cam Boozer and Cedric Coward? That\u2019s a Tuomas Iisalo question as well. The interactions with Boozer should be sick. Within this comes a question of how the usage holds, as he held a 37.5 usage rate while averaging 19.7 points and 5.7 assists against 1.8 turnovers. How can his numbers look with consistent usage and a lead role? Becoming a Most Improved Player candidate is not off the table.<\/p>\n Like Edey, health is a big question with Jerome. If he plays, the Grizzlies will be good. If the Grizzlies have Jerome and Edey on the floor for a decent amount of games, then they have an outline for an awesome half-court offense \u2014 especially when accounting for Boozer\u2019s versatility and prowess. Pairing one of the league\u2019s better pick-and-roll scorers with a crushing screener is an excellent formula.<\/p>\n Jerome has his flaws, particularly as a defender, but his superb creation holds tremendous equity with this team.<\/p>\n Zooming out, while this team needs veterans that can help on and off the floor, this season will determine if the Grizzlies extend the bridge at the point guard position, or if Jerome becomes the most fascinating trade candidate this season. His contract with his player option next summer can be attractive to a contender, and the Grizzlies could likely net another first-round pick. At the same time, they can opt for a nice extension and keep him around longer \u2014 again, injuries.<\/p>\n I\u2019m overall just enamored with this \u201ccombo guard\u201d archetype. I dove into it deeper in separate posts last summer with a pitch for Nickeil Alexander-Walker<\/a> and with a case on why Cole Anthony hasn\u2019t panned out.<\/a><\/p>\n Within these, I make the argument that the \u201ccombo guard\u201d is the most valuable role player archetype in the league, due to their versatility and two-way playmaking.<\/p>\n I put combo guards into these buckets with intersections being optimal: stoppers, turnover creators, primary actors, efficient passers, and knockdown shooters.<\/p>\n Pippen is a stopper and turnover creator with potential as a knockdown shooter from the combo guard spot. With that said, it makes him a fascinating fit next to Cam Boozer as a potential starting point guard. Yes, Isiah had mentioned Pippen to be more of a 2 than a 1. In this vision though, what if Boozer is the \u201c1\u201d where they unleash him as a hub? It\u2019s something that can potentially unlock a gear with Pippen. It amplifies his strengths with point-of-attack defense, cutting, and running transition lanes. In addition, it may suppress his biggest weakness to a degree with the turnovers.<\/p>\n Isiah should definitely test out lineups with Pippen as the \u201c1\u201d alongside Boozer. If anything, it can provide a template of what could work best when building around Boozer.<\/p>\n Regardless, Pippen can regain his momentum from the 2024-25 season after addressing the issues he\u2019d been facing with his toes. In the process, he can cement himself into the Grizzlies\u2019 future.<\/p>\n Multiple layers exist here with Stewart.<\/p>\n For one, he\u2019s one of the few veterans Zach Kleiman has targeted in a trade where he\u2019s giving up assets rather than receiving them or taking on bad money. The others are Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. Maybe an argument can be made for Justise Winslow, but they still took on pretty bad money (Dion Waiters). The Grizzlies traded three second-round picks for Isaiah Stewart, ironically the ones they received from Detroit to move down from 17 to 21.<\/p>\n The second layer is that he\u2019s going to have a big role. When healthy \u2014 already going to be reevaluated in two weeks due to an ankle sprain \u2014 he will be the starter in games when Edey isn\u2019t available. He\u2019ll likely be in the first substitution shift and play at least 20 minutes a night. The role also lies with his responsibilities. His rim protection will be leaned on, while also being a versatile big in ball-screen coverages. Offensively, his screening will be leaned on. Will he shoot too?<\/p>\n The third layer is his next deal. He has a team option for next season. It wouldn\u2019t be shocking if he has an extension lined up next summer.<\/p>\n The final layer here is the culture setting. On numerous occasions, Kleiman has mentioned how Stewart embodies the DNA that he wants in this culture. They\u2019ve talked about bringing in players that the city can resonate with. He\u2019s not going to back down and let anyone punk him or his teammates. He hustles his ass off. He\u2019s already giving back with the fans. Just from various spaces<\/a>, he seems to understand the organizational ethos of grit and grind and is ready to spearhead it as a veteran leader. I\u2019m just excited to see how the dynamic with Stewart, the team, and this city takes form this season.<\/p>\n Wells has been a starting wing for two seasons and is in pole position for this role once again. I do want to highlight this quote from <\/a>The Daily Memphian\u2019s <\/a>Chris Herrington\u2019s recent column that<\/a> sums up the current state of that role and Wells\u2019 outlook on it:<\/p>\n \u201cEvery year, I come in knowing that someone\u2019s always going to come for my role, the same way I came for the players that were in front of me before,\u201d Wells said on the eve of training camp. \u201cBut I enjoy the challenge. It should be a challenge. I don\u2019t take lightly the role that I got to have my first two years.\u201d<\/p>\n Let\u2019s unpack. This season presents the strongest competition for his starting job since he won it. Last season, Cedric Coward won the job from the veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope rather early in the season. GG Jackson and Jerami Grant could unseat Wells for his starting spot, if Iisalo makes a change.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t fully dismiss Wells from the conversation though. He\u2019s not just a solid stopper but grades out as one of the steadiest in the league.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an important role to take on. How can he add to it? He needs to either rev up his steal and deflection rates (1.6 and 2.9, respectively, both sub-50 percentile per databallr), or rebounding ones (8.9 defensive rebounding rate, 34th percentile). The latter is tricky, because he shares the floor usually with three strong rebounders, which will suppress individual ones. Do the Grizzlies value his stops coming from chasing down the league\u2019s elite in favor of stocks and rebounds?<\/p>\n The big thing is he has to be a more consistent shooter. The 40-percent threshold is thrown out too much for virtually every player not in the realm. Can Wells be close to that, or even at 38 percent? He\u2019s a limited athlete and playmaker, which can hinder his driving and finish \u2014 relying on craft more so. It slims the margin of error a bit. Growing into a 40-percent three-point shooter instead of a 35-percent one may be the difference for two things within his NBA trajectory. It would make him a perhaps clear starter \u2014 a 40-percent bigger wing that can also defend the league\u2019s elite is welcomed on virtually any team. In addition, it likely puts him near MLE territory for his next contract \u2014 as a frame of context, Julian Champagnie got an extension three years and $45M this past summer, and this was a reference point on a podcast from Zach Lowe<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wells\u2019 progression will be noteworthy for his starting prospects and his next contract.<\/p>\n Like I said, intrigue exists throughout the roster. Some quick-hitters on other players in consideration here.<\/p>\n Cedric Coward: Yes, he\u2019s super interesting, but I just know he\u2019s going to be awesome. To what degree is the question? Is it as a 3rd or 4th best player on the team long-term?<\/p>\n GG Jackson: How does he continue to find his role and what does it mean for his next contract?<\/p>\n Javon Small: Does he continue to make the point guard conversation more fascinating with his two-way play?<\/p>\n Cam Spencer: Does he continue finding his footing as a steady backup guard that can carry this stellar shooting and playmaking efficiency?<\/p>\n Olivier-Maxence Prosper: Is the shooting real, and if so what does it mean for his role and next contract?<\/p>\n If you choose to support my Substack, SubTsakalidis, follow this link<\/a> to my Allie\u2019s Allies St. Jude fundraiser page. You can also support through buying SubTsakalidis merch<\/a> \u2014 t-shirt, coozie, glass, coffee mug, stickers \u2014 with proceeds going to St. Jude Children\u2019s Research Hospital. If you choose to become a paid subscriber, all proceeds will go towards St. Jude Children\u2019s Research Hospital.<\/p>\n Follow me on X<\/a> and Bluesky<\/a>. Follow more of my draft work at No Ceilings NBA<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Image\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/824b4851-262e-4c27-9020-ac58535e2a83_1200.jpeg\" "\\"Image\\"")
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