If the Grizzlies are going to make a run for the playoffs they need to get more from their rookies who get a lot of the bench minutes for the team. Forward Sam Young has played the best ball of the rookies this season for the Grizzlies. He has played in 54 games (1 start) in which he has averaged 16.2 minutes, 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Power forward DeMarre Carroll needs to step up if he wants to keep getting P.T. Carroll has played in 52 games (1 start) for the Grizzlies this season and he is averaging 11.9 minutes, 3.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game on 39.3% shooting from the floor. The Grizzlies are bringing center Hasheem Thabeet along slowly. He has played in 50 games (0 starts) for the Grizzlies this season and he is averaging 10.3 minutes, 2.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.1 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. On the plus side, Thabeet is shooting 58% from the floor this year. Shooting guard Lester Hudson started the season with the Celtics. He has played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Grizzlies and he is averaging 7.4 minutes, 4.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game on 38.2% shooting from the floor. Overall for the Celtics & Grizzlies, Hudson has played in 24 games (0 starts) in which he is averaging 5.4 minutes, 2.3 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

Ronnie Brewer didn’t last too long for the Grizzlies before getting hurt. He partially tore his right hamstring in his first game with the Grizzlies and he will be out indefinitely. This is a bad break for the Grizzlies who traded a future first round pick for Brewer knowing that he would inject good talent into the bench which is young. Brewer played 12 minutes in his first game with the Grizzlies and he scored 2 points, grabbed 1 rebound and he stole the ball twice. This is a big loss for the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies have acquired 24-year old SG/SF Ronnie Brewer from the Jazz for a protected first round pick in the 2011 draft. Brewer played in 53 games (all starts) for the Jazz this season and he was averaging 31.4 minutes, 9.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He has now played in 266 games (223 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 26.4 minutes, 10.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. This was a great trade for the Grizzlies as Brewer will likely serve as the sixth man the rest of the year.

The Grizzlies are on the hunt for bench help at the trade deadline. They have a great starting five but the bench is really young and that could hurt them as they are trying to make the playoffs. The Grizzlies are armed with some nice draft picks this June and that is what they will likely bring to the table in trade talks. They should be looking for teams that are willing to dump talented players with the idea of getting younger.

Power forward Zach Randolph has fit in perfectly with the younger players on the Grizzlies. He has played in 51 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies this season and he is averaging 37.5 minutes, 20.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Randolph has been excellent on the court for the Grizzlies and he hasn’t caused any problems off the court. He had a reputation of being a selfish player but I have not seen any of that in Memphis.

2nd year forward Darrell Arthur will be making his season debut tonight for the Grizzlies against the Hawks. He has missed the whole season until now due to a torn pectoral muscle. He played in 76 games (73 starts) for the Grizzlies as a rookie last season and he averaged 19.3 minutes, 5.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. The Grizzlies need help off the bench so they are glad that Arthur is back.

The Grizzlies decided to give former first round pick Marcus Williams a chance to re-establish himself this season but it just hasn’t worked out. He is bending the rim at a alarming rate this season. Williams is shooting 37.1% from the floor, 21.9% from the three point line and 67.9% from the free throw line this season. He has played in 30 games (1 start) for the Grizzlies this season and he is averaging 12.4 minutes, 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The Grizzlies shouldn’t let Williams play much until his shot gets sharper.

The Grizzlies need more out of back-up point guard Jamaal Tinsley. He has played in 34 games (1 start) for the Grizzlies this season and he is averaging 16.0 minutes, 3.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Tinsley is only shooting 37.3% from the floor and 19.4% from three point range this season and that is just not good enough. The Grizzlies took a big chance in bringing in Tinsley and it has not paid off as of yet.