MEMPHIS – As the Grizzlies pace through the final week of the NBA regular season, two of their developmental prospects are just starting to hit their stride.
That bodes well for what an offseason of continued progress could mean for point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and center Trey Jemison as they approach the Grizzlies’ remaining games.
For the past three months, Pippen and Jemison have parlayed their respective two-way developmental contracts into extended auditions for the Grizzlies at positions of dire need. Significant injuries and attrition at point guard and center have left Memphis scrambling to fill the gaping holes at both spots for much of the season.
But as the Grizzlies (27-51) limp to the finish line of a difficult season, they’ll carry plenty of production to evaluate into the summer in charting next steps for several young prospects.
Pippen enters the week coming off a career-best performance when he scored a team-high 24 points, including 14 in the third quarter of Saturday’s home loss to the 76ers. The previous night, Jemison led the way with his first career double-double as he recorded 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds during a home win against the Pistons
Some may see this week’s games against the Spurs (Tuesday), Cavaliers (Wednesday), Lakers (Friday) and Nuggets (Sunday) as the final remnants of a season many want to soon forget. But count Pippen and Jemison among those who view the slate as one last stretch of opportunities to extend their productive momentum heading into the summer.
“I’m used to doing this kind of stuff, so it’s not really shocking to me,” Pippen said of his emergence and mindset entering the final games. “For me, it’s just continuing to be vocal, make sure I’m being a coach on the floor and push my guys. Just continue to develop, show what I can on both sides of the floor and try to win some games. I think that will show a lot.”
With his physical presence and consistent effort inside, Jemison is also showing plenty.
“I just go out there and play hard, try to let the game come to me,” Jemison shared. “It’s 100-percent confidence, man. We just keep coming. I work my butt off. I go to sleep every night and wake up knowing, ‘Hey, whenever Coach calls my name, I’m ready to go, man.”
Pippen and Jemison are the latest examples of the encouraging success the Grizzlies have squeezed out of their developmental pipeline this season. Injuries, of course, have derailed the bigger-picture goals the franchise had of competing for a championship this season.
But amid the ashes of an overall disappointing campaign are some embers that could spark the back end of the Grizzlies rotation with the return of a healthy roster next season.
Pippen went undrafted out of Vanderbilt two years ago and spent last season primarily with the Los Angeles Lakers affiliate in the NBA G League. The 6-foot-1 playmaker, and son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, played just six NBA games last season with the Lakers.
But Pippen considers this his rookie season in the league after playing in 17 games with the Grizzlies since he was signed to a two-year, two-way deal in January. He was brought in when the Grizzlies were critically short at point guard, where superstar catalyst Ja Morant was lost to season-ending shoulder surgery while both Derrick Rose and Marcus Smart missed significant time with injuries.
Along the way, Pippen missed several games with back and leg injuries but bounced back to average 11.5 points, 4.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 23 minutes a game. His best attributes have been his perimeter defense and shooting, where he has knocked down 50-percent from the field overall and 47.2-percent on 3-pointers.
The past eight games have been Pippen’s strongest stretch of the season. And in just the last two contests, he’s averaged 20 points, six assists and three steals while shooting 50-percent from beyond the arc in nearly 30 minutes per game.
In all likelihood, Pippen will enter the team’s offseason development program as the primary point guard on the Grizzlies summer league teams in July. Should he remain on the current two-way deal entering next season, Pippen could potentially compete in training camp for backup minutes behind Morant and, theoretically, alongside Rose.
“It’s good to see him get the performances he’s had lately,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said as he pointed out what stands out most in Pippen. “Well, No. 1 is his competitiveness. It’s what makes it easy for me to fall in love with a guy. I love that he’s been growing his playmaking ability. The tenacity he plays with on the defensive side, sticking his nose in on the ball, roughing it up at times . . . really impressed with his effort.”
Pippen’s first game with the Grizzlies on Jan. 20 came against the Bulls in Chicago, where his father’s retired No. 33 hangs in the rafters alongside six NBA championship banners. And Pippen’s most recent game featured his career-high scoring effort against the 76ers as his father sat courtside to watch at FedExForum.
Although he played it coolly, the younger Pippen embraced the magnitude of that moment.
“He watches all of my games; I’m used to him being there so it’s nothing crazy, but I think it’s cool,” Pippen Jr. said. “He’s been a bit more chill lately. But in college and high school, he was a little bit harder on me. If he sees something I need to work on – or if I’m doing something wrong – he’ll tell me. So he definitely helps me a lot.”
As the late-season primary facilitator, Pippen helped to steer Memphis toward a positive finish. The Grizzlies have won three of their four April games while playing a lineup of players on 10-day contracts granted through NBA injury exceptions or two-way deals.
That includes Jemison, the 6-10 post player who signed his development deal Feb. 9 after he was initially added on a 10-day contract. Undrafted out of UAB in 2023, Jemison started his pro career in the G League before signing a 10-day deal with the Washington Wizards.
He’s made the most of his opportunities in Memphis. In 19 games, Jemison has averaged 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 58.1-percent from the field in 22.8 minutes. Jemison’s screen-setting, rebounding and relief baskets in the paint – particularly with his vintage skyhook shot – has provided the Grizzlies a needed boost.
Those minutes became available in the power rotation when the Grizzlies traded Steven Adams, Xavier Tillman and David Roddy earlier this season. Brandon Clarke returned to action in late March after missing the first four months to recover from Achilles surgery.
The front office plans to prioritize a frontline center or power forward in the June draft, July free agency or offseason trades, however Jemison hopes to remain positioned in the power pipeline.
“It’s been a long journey, to be honest,” Jemison said of grinding his way into this position with the Grizzlies. “Just watching the film, then being on the court with the guys has helped me so much. It’s just finding that rhythm and learning what to do.”
Jemison will finish the season facing some major tests and opportunities to maintain his progress. After facing league MVP Joel Embiid on Saturday, this week features potential matchups in the post against rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama, former lottery pick Evan Mobley, All-NBA standout Anthony Davis and reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.
No team in the NBA has gotten more out of their two-way contract players than the Grizzlies. Memphis opened the season with Jacob Gilyard, Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson on the three allotted two-way development deals.
Gilyard started 14 of his 37 games at point guard before he was released. Williams and Jackson posted breakout seasons and were rewarded with standard, four-year NBA contracts midway through the season. Ultimately, Pippen and Jemison inherited two of the two-way roster spots that became available as others were upgraded.
“It’s definitely motivating to go to a place where you see guys that worked hard and eventually were rewarded for that,” Pippen acknowledged. “I don’t try to think about that too much because I don’t want it to take away from the game. But it’s going out here every day, playing hard and helping my teammates.”
Pippen and Jemison are among those who get one more week of NBA games to do just that.
Then awaits an offseason of even more developmental opportunities with the Grizzlies.