Iisalo eager to evaluate roster in game action
ATLANTA – Opportunity.
That’s the buzzword floating around the Grizzlies as they emerge from training camp and open the preseason with Monday’s exhibition against the Hawks.
With 20 players on the preseason roster – and a relatively clean bill of health – Memphis will sort through various lineup combinations over the course of four dress rehearsals leading to the Oct. 21 season opener against the Utah Jazz.
Between now and then, there’s still rotation and roster business to settle.
“We have so many guys we want to see on the court, and then gradually build up,” coach Tuomas Iisalo said of the role Monday’s game plays in the ramp up to the regular season. “I don’t expect any guys to really crack 20 minutes.”
Yet, it will be a debut with distinction.
On the heels of four days of training camp in Nashville and Sunday’s Open Practice in Memphis, the Grizzlies get their first game-night look at newcomers in rookie third overall pick Cam Boozer, trade acquisitions Isaiah Stewart and Jerami Grant; and free-agent pickup Quinten Post.
The Grizzlies also return a promising young core as Zach Edey, Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells – all former NBA All Rookie First-Team selections – continue their encouraging development.
So where does everyone stand in the transition from camp to facing opposing competition?
I offer one word to describe each player on the current roster and provide my take on their circumstances entering preseason play.
Cam Boozer: Foundational – Fundamentally sound, skillfully versatile and psychologically mature, the 19-year-old Boozer carries plenty of promise into his rookie NBA season. From the paint out to the perimeter, the third overall pick showed in training camp he’s a building block.
Walt Clayton Jr.: Conundrum – Likely one of four back-end prospects battling for the final two guaranteed roster spots, Clayton must maximize the preseason. The point guard depth chart already has Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen locked in at the top and Javon Small in a two-way spot.
Carson Cooper: Project – The people’s champ of Sunday’s rookie dance contest at Open Practice, Cooper flashed solid moves for a big man. Occupying one of the team’s three two-way developmental contracts, he’ll get plenty of seasoning with the G-League’s Memphis Hustle.
Cedric Coward: Emerging – From getting a test run in Summer League with a higher usage rate to working out extensively during the offseason with many of the NBA’s elite players, Coward seems destined to step into a premium role as a versatile and productive leader this season.
Zach Edey: Progressing – The Grizzlies repeatedly stress the 7-foot-4 franchise center is on pace to be ready for the regular season, but nobody has ruled Edey out of seeing preseason action. A highlight of camp was Edey’s availability after rehabbing offseason ankle and elbow surgeries.
Jerami Grant: Adaptable – As Iisalo spent camp mixing and matching options on the wing, one constant is the trust that Grant will serve a “plug-and-play” role whether he’s a starter or a top reserve. The most experienced player on this roster will also be one of the most valuable.
Taylor Hendricks: Teetering – Two seasons removed from a devastating leg injury with the Jazz, Hendricks entered camp as physically and mentally healthy as he’s been since being drafted in the 2023 lottery. The task now is making the jump from roster prospect to rotation contributor.
GG Jackson: Verdict – The jury has been out on GG for three seasons as he toiled through growing pains and promising stretches since entering the NBA as an 18-year-old project. After major roster turnover, he’s the team’s longest-tenured player. The verdict arrives this season.
Ty Jerome: Master-key – From setting the pace to executing pick-and-roll sets to spacing the floor as a 3-point threat, no player unlocks the optionality of Iisalo’s system like Jerome. After showing dominant flashes in limited play last season, he’s eager to engineer as the lead guard.
Karim Lopez: Unripe – The Grizzlies insist Lopez has the size, strength and versatility to develop into one of the surprises from this year’s draft. He’s playing catchup after a hamstring injury limited him in Summer League. And there’s a logjam of forwards ahead of the first-round pick.
Jahmai Mashack: Infectious – After proving last season he can handle almost any position, the 6-foot-3 defensive pest Mashack created intense competition every time he’s been on the court. The primary rotation wings can’t take a possession off when Mashack is on the defensive prowl.
Kris Murray: Intriguing – A certified college scorer at Iowa, Murray must now carve out a roster spot with his improved defensive play. He arrived from Portland with Grant in the summer trade that sent Ja Morant to the Blazers. It’s an uphill battle for one of the Grizzlies’ final roster spots.
Micah Peavy: Limited – A late-summer trade acquisition from New Orleans, Peavy is another of a long line of 6-foot-7 or so wings the Grizzlies have collected on the preseason roster. But an ankle injury before the start of training camp unfortunately prevented Peavy from competing.
Scotty Pippen Jr.: Breakout – In the Grizzlies’ last playoff appearance two seasons ago, Pippen notched a triple-double against eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City. That’s the upside he hopes to revisit now that he’s past the two toe surgeries coming off last year’s setback season.
Quinten Post: Quintessential – The former Golden State big man was targeted by Memphis in restricted free agency because he’s the quintessential post player for Iisalo’s system. Post is a 7-footer who can set massive screens, step out to shoot threes and also effectively roll to the rim.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper: Relentless – When it’s time to inject a shot of energy into the lineup, Prosper is the ‘break-glass-in-case-of-emergency’ fix. Few play harder and with more reckless abandon than O-Max, whose effort and impact won’t be hard to see on the floor this preseason.
Javon Small: Undeniable – This time a year ago, Small benefited from training camp injuries to others by pushing to the front of the point guard line in the preseason. He’s back for a second season on a two-way deal with a big chip on his shoulder to fight for that third point guard spot.
Cam Spencer: Reliable – Iisalo revealed during camp last week that Spencer has been working alongside Pippen during scrimmage sessions, presumably forming what could be the second-string backcourt. That level of confidence in the third-year sharpshooter speaks volumes.
Isaiah Stewart: Backbone – Beef Stew was meant to be a Grizzlies player. He’s got the Grit-N-Grind mindset and toughness on the court. He’s also a do-it-all big in the frontcourt rotation, with previous valuable experience helping propel Detroit from a rebuild to a 60-win season.
Jaylen Wells: Locksmith – Wells made his name as a second-round pick who pushed his way into the Grizzlies starting lineup and became an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection. His shooting and penchant for accepting the toughest defensive assignment has solidified his value and role.