MUSCLEWATCH
In his rookie season he averaged just under 18 points per game, shooting 47% from the field (shout out to his ability to get to the rim) but his three-point shooting suffered (he shot 33.5% from beyond the arch). But that percentage also doesn’t paint the whole picture; he shot about 42% off of catch-and-shoot threes but in the low 30’s off-the-dribble.
So, simply put, his shooting from beyond the arc needs to improve—but more specifically his shooting coming off screens and pulling up deep. In the first two pre-season games, he shot 2/3 and 2/4 from the three-point line. He doesn’t need to be a knock-down shooter; the Grizzlies have Grayson, Dillon, Desmond and even Jaren for that. But in order to take advantage of defenders sagging off of him to defend against his attacks, that three-ball will need to become consistent (and so far, it has been!).
But let’s talk about the supporting cast for a minute—after these first two preseason games, Lang, which Grizzlies rookies are you most impressed with?
From: Lang Whitaker
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2020 10:53 PM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: Re: IMHO
Well, I didn’t catch that much of Xavier Tillman Sr., although the few minutes I did see from him in the first exhibition game, it looked as though he could use some minutes to adjust to the speed of the NBA game. I did appreciate his size and maturity, which is something a team this young can use straightaway. (He looked old enough to maybe inherit the “Jaren Jackson Sr.” nickname that I tried to stick on the great Solomon Hill last season.)
The rookie that we saw a lot of in the bubble was Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies’ first round pick out of TCU. Bane scored a dozen in the preseason opener, then followed that up with 10 points (in 16 minutes) in the second game. Bane’s arrival was almost as good as the one in The Dark Knight Rises.
I know Bane has a reputation as a dead-eye long-range shooter—and he’s hit 3 of the 6 threes he’s attempted thus far—but there were a couple of other things that have impressed me early on. I love that Bane is built almost like a superhero, with the size and bulk to absorb the kind of punishment a full NBA season will dish out. Physically, he kind of reminds me of Jim Jackson, which probably makes me sound old, since I remember what Jim Jackson was like when he played in the NBA instead of these days as a commentator. (Also, word to Toni Braxton!)
I also really liked Bane’s willingness to go to the basket and find contact. In that second game, Bane scored 10 but only made two field goals; he got to the charity stripe 6 times, which tied him for the team lead for the game.
All this to say, Bane has been really good! And I’ve seen the calls from the Grizzlies blogosphere (I’m looking at you, Joe Mullinax) to put Bane into the starting lineup for now, while Justise Winslow finishes rehabbing his injury, but knowing how Taylor Jenkins would likely prefer to bring a rookie along slowly, that ain’t happening. Also, Grayson Allen and De’Anthony Melton have made pretty good cases of their own to be in the starting lineup. Whatever happens, the bench of this Grizzlies team should, like last season, be one of their major keys, and if you can add a guy like Bane to that mix, it only strengthens the pool.
We’ve spent all this thus far talking about the youngsters, but how about some of the old heads? It’s kind of funny to me that guys like Kyle Anderson and Jonas Valanciunas, who are still actually pretty young, are considered the elder statesmen on this team. Give me a Grizzlies veteran you think will be crucial to their success this season?
From: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2020 11:23 PM
To: Lang Whitaker
Subject: Re: IMHO
Before I answer your question… I am embarrassed to say I had to go Google Jim Jackson. And I agree with the build — biceps for days.
As for the “old” guys? I don’t know if it’s because I have been covering him/watching him since he’s entered the NBA, but in my opinion, Jonas Valanciunas is one of the most underrated players in the entire league.
I’m not saying guys like Kyle and Gorgui won’t make big impacts, but JV averaged almost 15 points and more than 11 rebounds per game last season while shooting almost 60% from the field. Sometimes you can watch a game and not realize the numbers he’s putting up because he doesn’t poster people like Ja or hit deeeeeep threes like Jaren, but he cleans up everything at the rim on the offensive end (can also hit a three here and there!) and is a major disrupter in the paint on the defensive end.
The word that comes to mind initially when talking about JV is dependable. The Grizzlies can depend on him to grab boards and make bunnies down low. I saw a stat online that said that JV was one of only four players last year that shot over 70% (on at least 200 attempts) in the restricted area within the key. That is so impressive to me.
In addition to that, with Jaren being out JV’s role is going to have to grow and fill the void of the 7-foot unicorn in the key, on a team that led the league in points in the paint last season.
If Desmond Bane reminds you of Jim Jackson, maybe you can dig back in your rolodex or pager or Blackberry or something and tell me a good comparison for who JV reminds you of from back in the day?
From: Lang Whitaker
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 8:36 AM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: Re: IMHO
Well, as someone who formerly had at different times a Rolodex and a pager and a Blackberry, I feel uniquely qualified to speak on this. And if you want a Jonas comp, let me dig out my old T-Mobile Sidekick—which was, incidentally, bar none the most popular way for NBA players to communicate back in the ‘00s. Tmail 4 life!
As far as a player that Jonas reminds me of, that’s a tough one. Obviously, he’s got the size and strength of an old school center from the ‘80s. I particularly love his fundamentals, how when he catches a lob or pass in the post near the rim, he doesn’t bring the ball down below his shoulders before turning and shooting. But none of those guys who were beasts in the paint back in the day had the ability to step out and drain threes from the top of the key. I think we also tend to underrate Jonas’s passing ability—don’t forget he finished out bubble life with that triple-double.
So I’d say Jonas is a unicorn in his own right. He doesn’t have the speed and athleticism of Jaren, but Jonas is perhaps a unicorn who looks like a henchman from a James Bond movie or something. Whatever you want to call him, Jonas sure is fun to watch.
