The Grizzlies will hold their annual media day on Monday and Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian is looking at six key questions that loom over the team’s upcoming campaign. Among them are how much Mike Conley and Marc Gasol can still contribute, what rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. can provide and how the rotation will play out in the backcourt and on the wing.
After a disappointing, injury-riddled 2017/18 season that saw the Grizzlies win just 22 games, the team added Jackson, Kyle Anderson and Garrett Temple (among others) in the offseason in hopes of returning to the playoffs. All of Memphis’ offseason additions point to a return to “grit and grind,” the style of play that brought the Grizzlies a lot of success over the past decade, including four playoff series victories.
Conley will play a deciding role in the team’s success. Back in 2016/17, he was a borderline All-Star averaging 20.5 points and 6.3 assists per game while knocking down over 40 percent of his 3-pointers. He’s on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a significant foot injury, but if Conley can produce at that level this season the Grizzlies will be competitive.
The same can also be said for Gasol, the 33-year-old center who looked disengaged throughout most of last season as the team shifted its focus on developing young players and maximizing its draft pick. With the addition of several veterans in the offseason and the return of his point guard, Gasol should bounce back and continue to be a force in the middle for the Grizzlies.
Despite all of their additions and a clean bill of health, it will be very tough for the Grizzlies to make it back to the postseason given the improvements that several teams in the Western Conference made, including Denver, Dallas, and the Lakers.
There’s more from the Southwest division:
- While Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki has made no clear indications that this upcoming season will be his last, Rick Carlisle told Dwain Price of Mavs.com (Twitter link) that he believes there’s a real chance Nowitzki will call it quits after this campaign. If Nowitzki does indeed retire after the 2018/19 season, he will join another future Hall-of-Famer in Dwyane Wade, who announced that this upcoming season will be his last.
- Speaking of Nowitzki, Carlisle also revealed that the 40-year-old will likely come off the bench, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). This would pave the way for Carlisle to start Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews, Luka Doncic, Harrison Barnes and DeAndre Jordan, and would allow Nowitzki to be an offensive focal point for the Mavericks‘ bench units.
- With the Rockets starting training camp on Tuesday, the team released the roster of players participating in camp this season. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter) pointed out that Alessandro Gentile is not on that roster, despite previous expectations and wishes for him to join the team and try to make the jump to the NBA this season. Gentile, who was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft, has been recovering from hand surgery and will likely have to wait another year in his attempt to make it to the NBA.
That starting lineup makes no sense, why would you play Luka at the 3? He looks nothing like a small-forward, the kid should be the point guard and Smith Jr the shooting guard. Start Barnes at the 3 and quit trying to make him into a small ball 4. Finney-Smith at the 4 and Jordan at the 5.
Sonic doesnt look like a 3? Whens the last time you seen him?
Media day, he’s not a 3 and will get destroyed by opposing 3’s. He needs to be guarding 1’s or 2’s, hopefully Carlisle figures out a lineup and rotation that makes sense.
You’re trying to start someone named finney-smitb and DSJ at the 2 (yikes). People are going to get switched on and just because Doncic starts offensively at the 3 doesnt mean he has to guard 3s but taking the ball out of DSJ hands when Doncic is more effective as a secondary ball handler is silly
This
Doncic a secondary ball handler? Lmaooo Dude Doncic might be the best playmaker the NBA has ever seen, just wait and see when the season starts. Smith Jr will never ever be the passer Doncic will
Be.
Spoken like a casual. He played his best winning ball with Dragic. You think DSJ with his 6-3 195lbs 47.3 ts% 29.5 ast% should play the 2.
Dont quit your day job son
If Jordan can control the paint with Barnes and Mathews as the forwards, Dallas will be greatly advantaged. They will be very mobile, which will unlock Doncic’s skills.
When the Lakers won 33 in a row, they played two 3s with Wilt Chamberlain and outran everyone.
At forward, Mathews is a guard and Barnes is 210 lbs. Dallas may be starting, by position,: 1,1,2,3,5. Of course the two 1s (Smith, Doncic) and the 5 (Jordan) are bigger than normal 1s and 5s.