Team Needs: Center, Shooting, Wing Depth
The Memphis Grizzlies are the rare team where you almost have to completely disregard everything that happened last year. They were injured to a ridiculous degree, ultimately playing 33(!) players due to various injuries and absences throughout the season.
The hope is that key players like Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Brandon Clarke will all be back healthy, joining forces with Jaren Jackson Jr. once again to try and return to the top of the West standings. However, to get there, they do seem to need to make some additions, as they traded away Steven Adams last season (as he was also injured) and have a pretty big hole to fill at the center position. Shooting, as has been the case for more than a decade, also remains something the Grizzlies could use more of after finishing 29th in three-point percentage a year ago.
Zach Edey (No. 9 Overall), C: This is high for Edey, but it’s also understandable. Make no mistake, Edey was a generational college player and he is more than just big. But he is truly enormous. His rebounding, screen setting, hands, and finishing near the rim are tremendous. The big question is how he’ll translate to the NBA, particularly when asked to defend in space against NBA athletes. Memphis also tends to play fast, which Edey may not be suited for, but the Grizzlies clearly wanted a center and they got one.
