Current Roster
PG: Mike Conley/Wade Baldwin
SG: Andrew Harrison/Troy Daniels
SF: Chandler Parsons/James Ennis/Dillon Brooks
PF: Deyonta Davis/Jarell Martin
C: Marc Gasol/Brandan Wright/Ivan Rabb
2017 Free Agents
Unrestricted
G Tony Allen
G Vince Carter
C Zach Randolph
Restricted
F JaMychal Green
G Wayne Selden
Who They Drafted
2-35 Ivan Rabb, C California
2-45 Dillon Brooks, SF Oregon
The Grizzlies didn't have a pick going into the night, but acquired two in the second round to draft a pair of Pac-12 players. Their first pick, Ivan Rabb, was considered a potential first round pick last season but dropped after not taking the leap many expected. Rabb is sort of a 4.5 in the modern NBA, not skilled enough to play power forward but not quite center sized. He is a fundamentally solid player, good on the glass and instinctual defending in the paint, though his lack of vertical explosiveness will likely limit an immense upside there. Offensively, Rabb is a good post scorer with footwork and touch, though he probably isn't strong enough be a real force on the block, though he'd likely be able to makes smaller players pay if they are switched onto him. At times, Rabb has shown touch from the outside but nothing at the level of a consistent weapon yet, however if his jumpshot does turn into something, it could really go a long way towards helping him stick in the NBA. Defensively, again Rabb is stuck between positions, better in the paint but not super strong or explosive at the rim, while also not being quite quick enough to defend forwards on the perimeter. One thing of note regarding Rabb: the scheme and situation he played under at Cal was not optimal for showcasing and developing his talents and their could be more to him than meets the eye, though the physical limitations will always be there. The Grizzlies have a lot of bigs already, so Rabb will likely spend most of his time in the G-League.
Though there isn't an obvious playing time need on the wing either, the Grizzlies second pick, Dillon Brooks, is more ready to contribute, at least as a shooter. Brooks has been one of the best player in college basketball mainly because of his ability to get to the rim and shoot from three point range. Brooks is a highly competitive tough player (with a history of clutch shot-making) and though his physical tools are decidedly average, Brooks is still able to get to the rim or score in the mid-range in iso situations. Though he might not be a go-to iso scorer in the NBA, that experience will serve him well when opponents close-out too aggressively on his jumpshot, which will likely be his main role offensively, with little bits of the iso mixed in. Defensively, Brooks is limited by a short wingspan and so-so athletic ability, but he can be effective defending in one-on-one situations, when he puts his mind to it, something hopefully he will be able to do more of as a role player. There isn't a ton of room for growth in his game, but Brooks has enough skill offensively that he should have a chance to contribute in a bench role.
What They Need Going Forward
Once they bring back Zach Randolph, JaMychal Green, and Tony Allen, the Grizzlies won't have to cap or roster space to do much. One area they could improve on cheaply perhaps, is a veteran backup point guard, as all their backups now are unproven and Mike Conley has an injury history.
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Showing posts with label memphis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label memphis. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Batum, Lamb, Barnes Trades
Blazers get PF Noah Vonleh, SG Gerald Henderson
I had mentioned Batum as a possible trade candidate to a team like Utah a couple weeks back, but Charlotte hadn't entered my thinking. The trade does make sense on their end, either as a part of their team moving forward or as a trade piece in the draft. He has always been an unappreciated player because he played in Portland with some bigger stars, but Batum is basically the ultimate role player who fits in seamlessly as a great third option. His fit in Charlotte's lineup is a little non-traditional because he'll be playing shooting guard at 6-8, but Batum has always been better against smaller players because he is so long and quick, but not very strong. Offensively, he had a down year last season but considering he has a consistent track record before that as a 35-40% three-point shooter on a high number of attempts, it is pretty safe to write off 2014-15 as a wrist injury aided aberration. This is good because Charlotte needs shooting more than any team in the league and could use Batum's ability to handle the ball and pass. Despite his size, Batum has developed into a quality pick-and-roll player that should help take some of the pressure off of Kemba Walker. Batum definitely fits best as a shooting guard, but can move up to the three on occasion and would make an intruiging small-ball lineup moving Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to power forward. The issue with this deal for Charlotte is that they gave up a lot of years of control over Vonleh for Batum, who will be a free agent in the summer of 2016. He'll turn 27 this year, so it should be safe to re-sign him and get his a good part of his prime years and early decline, but there is always the risk that he walks next summer and leaves Charlotte with nothing.
For Portland, it was first reported that this wasn't a sign of rebuilding and it wouldn't affect their ability to re-sign LaMarcus Aldridge but now ESPN is reporting there is a "99.9% chance" he is leaving in free agency this summer. If that is they case, Portland will have lost their best player Aldridge, their fourth best player Batum and could possibly lose their third best player, free agent Wes Matthews, who is by-the-way coming off of a torn Achilles and turning 29 this year. That smells an awful lot like rebuilding, in which case the acquisition of Vonleh makes a ton of sense: he is young (turning 20), a top 10 pick just last season, and on his rookie deal for three more seasons, with the possibility of staying under team control for almost a decade. However, all of that means absolutely nothing if he isn't any good, which is still up for debate. It's hard to learn anything based off of last season, Vonleh was injured and Charlotte was such a mess that evaluating the 259 minutes he played is rather fruitless. Coming into the draft, Vonleh had a tremendous frame at 6-10, 240 with a 7-4+ wingspan and good athletic testing numbers, though the question remains whether he can actually effectively use that athletic ability on the court. One thing is clear, Vonleh can rebound. He did so in college and posted a top-20 rebound rate in his limited minutes this season (18.3). Part of Vonleh's appeal is that he projects as a good defender who can shoot from the perimeter at times, though really he didn't do either of those things particularly well in his first year, but like I said, it was basically a lost season. Because of the questions about Vonleh's ability to move laterally, it makes sense for him to play mostly center where he can certainly rebound and protect the rim, even if his help defense isn't outstanding. Offensively, all will rely on his jumper and whether it develops into a consistent weapon. If it does, Portland can get an approximation, albeit a lesser one, of the spacing, solid overall defense, and rebounding that Aldridge provided.
Henderson is probably just here for the one season remaining on his contract, if indeed Portland decides to rebuild. He is a good defender against both shooting guards and small forward, but a lack of range offensively causes some spacing issues, making Henderson perhaps better suited to a bench role. Another possibility would be to use Henderson as part of a trade to acquire younger, higher upside talent. Henderson is a useful player that could definitely help boost a contenders bench without a long term financial commitment.
Thunder get PG Luke Ridnour
Hornets get SG Jeremy Lamb
Grizzlies get SF Matt Barnes
Magic get the draft rights to SF Janis Timma
This wasn't a four team trade, but essentially amounted to one. Ridnour might stick as Oklahoma City's third point guard, but considering they are trying to save money and create roster space, I wouldn't count on it.
Timma's rights are actually a bigger deal the average fan might believe, despite being the 60th overall pick in 2013, Kevin Pelton projects Timma as an above-replacement level player in the NBA. You'll probably read some jokes on the internet about Memphis getting Barnes for nothing, but Timma has actual value. If and when he comes to the NBA is up for debate, but Timma is a good athlete that has steadily developed his jumper to the point of being an above-average shooter.
Barnes is a decent addition to Memphis' wing rotation, at 35 how much is left in the tank is debatable, but he can still shoot, making between 34-36% of his threes last season on a decent number of attempts the last three seasons. Defensively, Barnes has slipped and is now better defending power forwards and could give Memphis some good small ball options, particularly paired with Jeff Green, who annually is better defending small forwards but is much better playing offensively against power forwards. The shooting is the real key, if Memphis can get Barnes to shoot more 3s and continue to make them efficiently, it will be huge for them.
For Charlotte, they gave up a player they weren't going to keep for a talented young player that helps to fix their biggest weakness and has potential to be very good. Lamb never found footing in Oklahoma City but actually played well when on the court. He's shot 35% from three in the NBA was also a career 35% shooter from deep in college and in the D-League as well. Interestingly, from three Lamb shot better in catch and shoot situations in 2013-14 (39%) and shot really well off-the-dribble last season (40%), if he can put those both together consistently Lamb could become a very good shooter. Even if not, Lamb is an above-average three-point shooter who also plays very good defense and has the potential to be even better on that end as he gains experience. At worst, I think if Lamb gets minutes he will be an excellent 3-and-D wing player capable of guarding positions 1-3, provided that the small forwards aren't too strong. Where Lamb, who just turned 23, stands out though is that he has potential for more, a very smooth athlete that can really jump and has 6-11 wingspan, he has a killer crossover and can attack the rim when in attack mode, which isn't as often as it should be. Overall, this is a great acquisition that should net Charlotte a rotation player at worst and help improve Charlotte's greatest weakness: shooting. Combine that with the trade for Batum, particularly by shipping out Henderson's lack of shooting ability, and the Hornet's have turn a big weakness into a relative strength without sacrificing any defense or playmaking ability.
Follow me on Twitter @double_tech
Timma's rights are actually a bigger deal the average fan might believe, despite being the 60th overall pick in 2013, Kevin Pelton projects Timma as an above-replacement level player in the NBA. You'll probably read some jokes on the internet about Memphis getting Barnes for nothing, but Timma has actual value. If and when he comes to the NBA is up for debate, but Timma is a good athlete that has steadily developed his jumper to the point of being an above-average shooter.
Barnes is a decent addition to Memphis' wing rotation, at 35 how much is left in the tank is debatable, but he can still shoot, making between 34-36% of his threes last season on a decent number of attempts the last three seasons. Defensively, Barnes has slipped and is now better defending power forwards and could give Memphis some good small ball options, particularly paired with Jeff Green, who annually is better defending small forwards but is much better playing offensively against power forwards. The shooting is the real key, if Memphis can get Barnes to shoot more 3s and continue to make them efficiently, it will be huge for them.
For Charlotte, they gave up a player they weren't going to keep for a talented young player that helps to fix their biggest weakness and has potential to be very good. Lamb never found footing in Oklahoma City but actually played well when on the court. He's shot 35% from three in the NBA was also a career 35% shooter from deep in college and in the D-League as well. Interestingly, from three Lamb shot better in catch and shoot situations in 2013-14 (39%) and shot really well off-the-dribble last season (40%), if he can put those both together consistently Lamb could become a very good shooter. Even if not, Lamb is an above-average three-point shooter who also plays very good defense and has the potential to be even better on that end as he gains experience. At worst, I think if Lamb gets minutes he will be an excellent 3-and-D wing player capable of guarding positions 1-3, provided that the small forwards aren't too strong. Where Lamb, who just turned 23, stands out though is that he has potential for more, a very smooth athlete that can really jump and has 6-11 wingspan, he has a killer crossover and can attack the rim when in attack mode, which isn't as often as it should be. Overall, this is a great acquisition that should net Charlotte a rotation player at worst and help improve Charlotte's greatest weakness: shooting. Combine that with the trade for Batum, particularly by shipping out Henderson's lack of shooting ability, and the Hornet's have turn a big weakness into a relative strength without sacrificing any defense or playmaking ability.
Follow me on Twitter @double_tech
Monday, June 22, 2015
2015 Draft Preview: Memphis Grizzlies
PG: Mike Conley/Beno Udrih/Russ Smith
SG: Courtney Lee/Vince Carter/Jordan Adams
SF: Tony Allen
PF: Zach Randolph/Jarnell Stokes/JaMychal Green
C: Jon Leuer
2015 Free Agents
PG Nick Calathes
C Marc Gasol
F Jeff Green (player option)
C Kosta Koufos
2015 Draft Picks
1-25
Team Needs
The Grizzlies perennially need another creative offensive player as well as more 3-point shooting, so it would certainly make sense for them to target a player that can help them in that area. However, there may be bigger needs materializing this summer as both Marc Gasol and Kosta Koufos are going to be free agents. Gasol will likely be re-signed, but Koufos is almost certain to leave for another team, opening up a big hole at backup center. While that may not seem like a big deal, Koufos was one of the best backup centers in the NBA and helped keep Memphis' defense playing at a high level when Gasol was off the court. For Memphis, who's second unit occasionally struggled to score, this was vitally important to their success and kept them from having to overplay Gasol. Memphis is also a team that could make a trade that dramatically reshape their roster, Zach Randolph perhaps?
Potential Fits
There are a couple of shooters that could be available when Memphis drafts, Stanford's Anthony Brown and Virginia's Justin Anderson both could fit the bill and help keep the Grizzlies defense playing at a high level. UNLV's Rashad Vaughn is a shot-creator at shooting guard that could appeal to Memphis, however he is somewhat one dimensional and sort of a lesser version of Jordan Adams. The best fit to what may be Memphis' biggest need is Washington center Robert Upshaw, who is a legitimate top 10 talent but has some big off-the-court issues in his past. Upshaw is the best interior defender in the draft, a shot blocking machine with the strength to bang in the paint. Memphis has done a great job helping rehab questionable characters in the past and have strong team leaders that could help Upshaw get the most out of his ability and life.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Memphis Grizzlies Draft Review
The Grizzlies had a golden opportunity to find a nice wing role player with their first round pick, I don't think they made the safest pick, or that they drafted the best athlete, but they made the most interesting pick and took the best basketball player at a position of need. Adams scored out terribly athletically and awesome analytically, which will make this an interesting test case for old school vs. new school scouting. I fall on the side of the latter; though Adams is far from a top athlete, he isn't as bad as the combine showed, just look at Kevin Durant's testing if you want a lesson in combine outliers. Adams is really good in games, where he has a balanced efficient scoring attack led by good shooting, strength to muscle around the basket, and an innate scoring instinct off the ball to get open looks. He also rebounds well, can create plays, and has good instincts creating turnovers. The lack of athleticism does show on the defensive end and Adams does have a penchant for getting a little shot happy.
35. Jarnell Stokes, PF Tennessee Jr. (6-9, 263)
Like Adams, Stokes performed great on the court and was one of the top prospects by analytics. He actually tested better athletically as well, though he is still a below the rim player. An effective one though, Stokes is a classic low post player who can score around the rim and is one of the best rebounders in the draft, particularly on the offensive end. He isn't a top shot blocker, but with some work, he should be able to use his size to protect the rim and clog lanes. The real concern is his ability to guard in space, he really is more of an undersized center. However, as a backup, rotational big, Stokes should be excellent because of his ability to both score and rebound at a high rate while also being able to have his match-ups limited. Also, landing with an excellent defensive team like the Memphis is great for both Stokes and Adams.
Projected Lineup
PG: Mike Conley/Nick Calathes
SG: Courtney Lee/Tony Allen/Jordan Adams
SF: Tayshaun Prince/James Johnson/Quincy Pondexter
PF: Zach Randolph/Jarnell Stokes
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