Boozer, Lopez set for Grizzlies summer league play in Salt Lake City
SALT LAKE CITY – When it comes to sampling the sights, sounds and tastes of their new city, rookie first-round picks Cam Boozer and Karim Lopez respectfully request a bit more time.
After all, the newest members of the Grizzlies have only been in Memphis a week since they landed as two of the franchise’s promising building blocks from the June NBA Draft.
Conquering the food scene and outdoor recreation attractions will have to wait.
“We’ve only been to a couple of food spots,” Boozer sheepishly admitted. “So, we’re still exploring. And the golf? I’ll get back to you (soon).”
Forgive these young Grizzlies if their priorities have been elsewhere the past few days. They’ve essentially endured a crash course in a new culture predicated on relentless work, development and setting a foundation for winning in the NBA.
The Grizzlies emerged Friday from their weeklong mini-camp and departed Memphis in preparation for Saturday’s debut in the Salt Lake City Summer League. Memphis will face Oklahoma City in the first of three contests played over four days in Utah before moving on to Las Vegas late next week for a slate of games with all 30 NBA teams in action.
In recent years, the Grizzlies have capitalized on development opportunities that come with participating in both the four-team Salt Lake City slate and the full league Las Vegas schedule. The two summer leagues give Memphis the chance to play at least eight games across two cities over a span of nearly three weeks in July.
That schooling is even more essential this summer as the Grizzlies rebuild the roster and chart a new direction. Boozer, the consensus National College Player of the Year last season at Duke selected third overall in last month’s draft, is at the core of that retooling process.
Lopez, taken with the No. 21 pick as the first Mexican-born player in NBA history drafted in the first round, joins Boozer on a summer league roster that also features guards from last year’s draft class in Cedric Coward and Javon Small.
In trading veterans Ja Morant and Santi Aldama earlier this week, the Grizzlies completed a significant franchise pivot to a fresh start around a younger core. The hope is that Boozer and Lopez, who are 18 and 19 respectively, will develop alongside recent NBA All-Rookie Team selections in Coward and third-year center Zach Edey as promising anchors moving forward.
The on-court phase of that process starts in Salt Lake City, where the Grizzlies face the Thunder on Saturday and the Jazz on Monday before wrapping up there against the Hawks on Tuesday.
Initial expectations are simple.
“Just go out there with the best mentality possible, compete, build chemistry and win,” explained Lopez, who spent the past two seasons in Australia’s professional NBL league. “That’s the most important part. I’m just a competitor who wants to go out there and do whatever it takes to win, whatever that looks like. And just take advantage of the opportunity.”
The set of summer games come on the heels of a week of intense workouts at FedExForum, where coach Tuomas Iisalo mixed practice sessions with bonding opportunities to build chemistry. After a practice Thursday, the entire team took in a Memphis Redbirds minor league baseball game after watching Boozer throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Building productive habits has been the focus throughout the week.
“A lot of guys have been ready to compete, really going at each other and a lot of fun so far,” said Boozer, who steps into an NBA power forward role his father, Carlos, played as a two-time league All-Star. “I have a high standard for myself, but honestly, I’m just excited to get out there and compete with the guys. I want to play at a high level. What’s that looks like? I really haven’t set an expectation on that. Just build that chemistry and compete.”
Both Boozer and Lopez have been described as relentless competitors throughout the draft process. Boozer enters the league as one of the draft’s youngest prospects after averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in leading Duke to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Lopez, who has played professionally since he was 14, recently surpassed scoring marks in the NBL once set by current NBA standouts LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and Alex Sarr.
Speaking at last week’s introductory press conference after the draft, Iisalo addressed what the Grizzlies saw while scouting the rookie newcomers as well as what their potential can unlock.
“Obviously, we have a clear idea of what these guys have done in their previous situations,” Iisalo said. “There’s always the exploration phase, starting with Summer League, of getting to know the guys better and finding some hidden skillsets and how that meshes. What I like is they’ve had success and they’re very adaptable. Their skillsets open up spaces for other players and complement the other pieces we have. There’s a lot of pathways forward.”
From an executive level, Grizzlies president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman believes the franchise is building with the type of players who align with the team’s essential values.
“Everything has got to be earned,” Kleiman assured. “We’re about to get to work, but we’ve got guys who are professional about winning, focused on just going out and proving that every day. When we’re thinking about the type of individuals that embody this team, this organization, this city, you’re looking at them. Tough-minded, physically tough and highly skilled guys that are going to go and fight every day. We couldn’t be more excited because this is the Grizzlies DNA.”
The DNA is established.
Now, the Grizzlies’ summer chemistry phase commences.