SALT LAKE CITY – Only three returning Grizzlies played in more games for Memphis last season than David Roddy during his rookie campaign.
Still, his first time through the league was essentially a blur.
“Experiencing an NBA season for the first time can be really tough,” Roddy said of pushing through 70 games and then a grueling first-round playoff series this past season. “That’s why you have time for decompressing, slowing down, reflecting and just recharging. The biggest thing was just understanding how to get away. Then it’s time for coming back, really working and showing up every single day for that summer season.”
That summer season is now in session for Roddy, the rugged 6-5 forward at the head of the class in NBA experience among a group of Grizzlies eager for development.
Roddy headlines a roster of recent draft picks, young players and aspiring prospects competing for Memphis in summer league action this month. The Grizzlies open play Monday against the 76ers in the Salt Lake City Summer League at the Delta Center.
After playing three games in a stretch of four days against the 76ers, Thunder and Jazz, the Grizzlies travel to Las Vegas for five more games at the 30-team NBA2K24 Summer League.
The Grizzlies entered July pushing forward on multiple fronts to retool the roster and upgrade depth to continue building around catalysts Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.
In the past few weeks, president of basketball operations and general manager Zach Kleiman executed a trade to add veteran guard Marcus Smart, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The team is currently active during the NBA’s free-agency negotiation period while also maintaining flexibility to potentially add more talent down the line.
And then there’s the summer development process. That’s where the Grizzlies hope to extend a recent trend of their young prospects taking a leap in summer league to emerge as key rotation contributors during the NBA season.
Roddy is among second-year players on the summer roster that includes Jake LaRavia, Vince Williams Jr., Kenny Lofton Jr. and Jacob Gilyard. All five got NBA playing time last season for the Grizzlies. Kleiman and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins declared this summer would be especially crucial for LaRavia and Roddy, who were both first-round draft picks last year.
LaRavia, a 6-7 forward selected No. 19 in 2022, spent the bulk of his rookie season in the G League with the Memphis Hustle when he wasn’t battling nagging injuries. Roddy, picked No. 23 in that same draft, had an uneven season but broke through among last year’s Memphis rookie class to average 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.
Factoring in attrition, free-agency departures and injury recoveries, the Grizzlies are expected to have some key rotation minutes available at both forward spots entering fall training camp.
Jenkins has challenged the stocky, 255-pound Roddy to continue redefining his body to play multiple positions, particularly on the defensive end. For LaRavia, whose projected strengths are shooting and versatility, the priority is to build conditioning and confidence.
“For the young guys, it’s going to be D-Rod and Jake in particular,” Jenkins said of summer league objectives. “D-Rod got a larger sample size, more NBA reps, so it’s about taking that and having a great summer. As I tell these rookies, when they come in, their heads are spinning the first couple of months. Now, they can download the last calendar year, the past 10-12 months. And now they can dive into the purposeful program.”
While Roddy and LaRavia aim to make a sophomore surge on the court this summer, another promising prospect for the Grizzlies will be grinding behind the scenes. Third-year forward Ziaire Williams is not on the summer league roster and will instead continue a specialized treatment and conditioning program behind the scenes.
Williams, who was selected tenth overall in the 2021 draft, missed 45 games last season while battling various knee, leg and foot injuries. Two years ago, Williams played in 61 games and started 31 during an encouraging rookie season when he averaged 8.1 points in 21.7 minutes.
“There are a lot of guys we’re excited about that are going to be playoff players over time and are going to be helpful there,” Kleiman assessed of the Grizzlies’ young core overall. “But you just have to look at all that and be intentional about how we push the group forward.”
Continuity should give the Grizzlies a bit of an edge over some summer league teams because several players have spent time together with the Hustle or Grizzlies. But Memphis will also see two rookie second-round picks from last month’s draft take their first NBA summer league reps.
Small forward GG Jackson and swingman Tarik Biberovic, picked No. 45 and No. 56 respectively, participated in the Grizzlies’ light workout Sunday after the team arrived in Salt Lake City.
The 6-8 Jackson, who doesn’t turn 19 until December, was the youngest player taken in last month’s draft. He was also a consensus top national prep player in the 2022 class and was an SEC All-Freshman team selection after his lone season at South Carolina. Biberovic, 6-7, played in Turkey and is considered a promising shooter who could develop into a solid NBA prospect.
Jackson is expected to secure a two-way roster spot and spend time with the Hustle, while Biberovic will likely return overseas after the summer to continue development in Euro leagues.
For Roddy, meanwhile, the summer assignment is to keep building on his game and trusting in the Grizzlies track record. Two years ago, Bane worked on his ball-handling and playmaking in the summer and rapidly progressed to become of the NBA’s most productive shooting guards.
Last summer, forward Santi Aldama used his summer league schooling to step confidently into the starting power forward role last season until Jaren Jackson Jr. returned from surgery rehab.
So, what’s the improvement regimen for Roddy?
“I would say everything,” Roddy insisted. “But specifically, my shooting, just being more consistent with that and being a great defender as well. I’m working on my playmaking skills. Just embracing everything. There’s a lot to work on. I’m just excited to get back to work.”
For the Grizzlies, this summer isn’t simply about development. They’ve invested draft capital each of the past three years looking for suitable, young options on the wing.
The time is now, and the opportunity is here for someone to emerge.