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The Grizzlies aren’t a very deep team, but they have a rock solid starting five. Not too many teams can match a front court of Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Lionel Hollins does a good job of motivating his team and his strategic moves in game really boosted the Grizzlies last year. I would make a small bet on the over for Grizzlies’ wins in 2012-13.
59-year old head coach Lionel Hollins is the right guy at the right time in Memphis. He led the Grizzlies to a 41-25 (62.1%) during the regular season despite not having Zach Randolph for much of it. The Grizzlies were also 3-4 (42.9%) in the playoffs last year. Hollins is now 158-175 (47.4%) in his first six years as the Grizzlies’ head coach during the regular season. He is also 10-10 (50%) in the playoffs. Hollins even was the head coach one of the years the Grizzlies were in Vancouver. I look for Hollins to keep the Grizzlies rolling along in 2012-13.
27-year old center Marc Gasol just keeps getting better for the Grizzlies. Gasol played in 65 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 36.5 minutes, 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.9 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 297 games (290 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 33.5 minutes, 13.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game. He gives the Grizzlies one of the best centers in the NBA. 27-year old Hamed Haddadi will be the #2 center in 2012-13. He played in 35 games (0 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 5.9 minutes, 2.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Haddadi has now played in 121 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 6.1 minutes, 2.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. 26-year old Jerome Jordan played in 21 games (0 starts) for the Knicks as a rookie last year and he averaged 5.1 minutes, 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CENTERS IN 2012-13: A
The Grizzlies really need a healthy 31-year old Zach Randolph in 2012-13. He played in 28 games (8 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 26.3 minutes, 11.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Randolph has now played in 690 games (542 starts) in his first 11 years in the NBA and he is averaging 31.4 minutes, 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. 25-year old Marreese Speights will be one of the top backup power forwards in the NBA. He played in 60 games (54 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 22.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Speights has now played in 265 games (58 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 16.4 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. 24-year old Darrell Arthur will start the 2012-13 season late due to injury. Arthur didn’t play last year due to injury. Arthur has now played in 188 games (74 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.8 minutes, 6.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE POWER FORWARDS IN 2012-13: B+
The Grizzlies have high hopes for 26-year old small forward Rudy Gay, who is one of the most consistently good players in the entire NBA. Gay played in 65 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies so far this year and he is averaging 37.3 minutes, 19.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He has now played in 437 games (401 starts) in his first six years with the Grizzlies and he is averaging 36.1 minutes, 17.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. 24-year old Quincy Pondexter will get the first shot to be the #2 small forward for the Grizzlies in 2012-13. Pondexter played in 64 games (8 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 15.7 points, 4.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. He has now played in 130 games (14 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 13.4 minutes, 3.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. 31-year old Ronald Dupree and 22-year old D.J. Kennedy will be in training camp to compete for a bench job in 2012-13. Dupree last played in the NBA back in 2010-11 with the Raptors. Dupree has played in 157 games (8 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 11.2 minutes, 3.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. D.J. Kennedy played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Cavaliers last year and he averaged 29.5 minutes, 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SMALL FORWARDS IN 2012-13: A
The Grizzlies have signed 26-year old guard Kyle Weaver to a non-guaranteed deal. Weaver last played in the NBA back in 2010-11 with the Utah Jazz. Weaver has played in 73 games (19 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.9 minutes, 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Weaver’s versatility could help him win a bench job if the looks good in training camp.
UPDATE: (10/24/2012) – The Grizzlies have waived Kyle Weaver.
The Grizzlies have signed 33-year old shooting guard Ronald “Flip” Murray to a non-guaranteed deal. Murray last played in the NBA back in 2009-2010 with the Bobcats and Bulls. He has played in 487 games (92 starts) in his first nine years in the NBA and he is averaging 22.7 minutes, 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. If Murray proves that he has something left in training camp, he could snag a bench spot for the Grizzlies in 2012-13.
UPDATE: (10/28/2012) – The Grizzlies have waived Flip Murray.