2008-09 Team Preview – Memphis Grizzlies

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NBA Preseason

Last Monday, I previewed the Boston Celtics and their chances for this upcoming season; today, I examine the Memphis Grizzlies and what the future holds for this rebuilding franchise:

Ahhh, the Memphis Grizzlies. What can be said about this franchise that hasn’t already been said. Underachievers. Poor management in the front office (the Gasol trade comes to mind). And so on and so on. Be that as it may, there is actual talent on this team, starting with Rudy Gay. The problem with Gay – and it isn’t really a problem with Gay, per se – is what forward position that he plays on any given night, due to a lack of size at the position on the team.

There’s also the point guard position to think about here. There’s an overabundance of PG’s on the Grizzlies – which kind of lends itself to a potential trade down the road. As it were, you have Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, Jarvis Crittenton and Marko Jaric, fighting for minutes. I fully expect Jaric to become trade bait soon, if he isn’t already. There is also this little issue called defense which the Grizzlies are strangers to – at least last season they were.

The Grizzlies were last in opponents’ FG percentage (48%) and 28th in points allowed (106.9), so from all appearances, they have nowhere to go but up. They obviously need to defend better as other than Quinton Ross and Lowry, not much is going on on the defensive front. Until that time comes, they will need to make up for that deficiency with some scoring, especially from Gay and probably newcomer O.J. Mayo. And of course, Marc Gasol should eventually make the trade that sent his brother Pau to the Los Angeles Lakers seem not so lopsided.

Who To Watch: O.J. Mayo. If he is anything like the player who tore up the Pac-10 in his lone campaign, then he could possibly be Rookie of the Year.

Prediction – Last, Southwest Division

Next: Phoenix Suns

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