Herrington: Zach Edey’s rapid preseason growth has the Grizzlies’ draft decision looking good
The Memphis Grizzlies have placed a big bet on Zach Edey. Edey, right, rebounds over Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, left, during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game in Dallas, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (Gareth Patterson/AP Photo)
Chris Herrington
Chris Herrington has covered the Memphis Grizzlies, in one way or another, since the franchise’s second season in Memphis, while also writing about music, movies, food and civic life. As far as he knows, he’s the only member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association who is also a member of a film critics group and has also voted in national music critic polls for Rolling Stone and the Village Voice (RIP). He and his wife have two kids and, for reasons that sometimes elude him, three dogs.
One reason for pessimism about the Memphis Grizzlies getting back to the playoffs might be that they’ll be relying on a rookie.
A rookie center on a team trying to reach the inner-six playoff rung in the Western Conference?
When was the last time that happened?
Last season, actually. Twice over.
Ok, so Chet Holmgren, the Rookie of the Year runner-up for the 57-win Oklahoma City Thunder, is a bit of a cheat. Holmgren was a second overall draft pick who spent a year marinating in the major leagues before finally seeing the court.
But the Grizzlies don’t have to look far for a more relevant comp. They can gaze up the standings of their own Southwest Division, where the 12th pick Dereck Lively II started 42 of his 55 games as a true rookie for the 50-win Dallas Mavericks, who reached the NBA Finals. Lively gave Mavericks’ star Luka Doncic a high-percentage finisher to target at the rim and the team’s defense an anchor in the paint.
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