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

30-year old Tony Allen will be the unquestioned starting shooting guard for the Grizzlies in 2012-13.  Allen played in 58 games (57 starts) for the Grizzlies last  year and he averaged 26.3 minutes, 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  He has now played in 466 games (170 starts) in his first eight years in the NBA and he is averaging 19.8 minutes, 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  24-year old Wayne Ellington will replace O.J. Mayo (signed with Mavericks) as Allen’s caddy in 2012-13.  Ellington played in 51 games (4 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 19.1 minutes, 6.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  He has now played in 189 games (13 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.7 minutes, 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  21-year old Josh Selby will be #3 in line at shooting guard for the Grizzlies in 2012-13.  Selby played in 28 games (0 starts) for the Grizzlies as a rookie last year and he averaged 8.5 minutes, 2.3 points, 0.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  He only shot 34.7% from the floor as a rookie last year.  If he doesn’t start shooting better, his butt is going to be nailed to the bench.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SHOOTING GUARDS IN 2012-13:  C

24-year old Michael Conley Jr. will be the starting point guard for the Grizzlies in 2012-13, and he is rock solid.  Conley played in 62 games (61 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 35.1 minutes, 12.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game.  Conley has also played in 358 games (329 starts) in his first five years in the NBA and he is averaging 32.1 minutes, 11.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  24-year old Jerryd Bayless will be the backup point guard for the Grizzlies in 2012-13.  He played in 31 games (11 starts) for the Raptors last year and he averaged 22.7 minutes, 11.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.  Bayless has now played in 229 games (36 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.2 minutes, 8.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.  The Grizzlies picked 19-year old Tony Wroten Jr. in the first round of last year’s NBA Draft.  They will likely bring him along slowly.  He played in 35 games for the Washington Huskies last year (his only college season) and he averaged 30.3 minutes, 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE POINT GUARDS IN 2012-13:  B

30-year old Zach Randolph just keeps getting better and the Grizzlies hope that trend continues.  He played in 75 games (74 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 36.3 minutes, 20.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.  Randolph has now played in 662 games (534 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 31.7 minutes, 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.  23-year old Darrell Arthur is just biding his time backing up Zach Randolph.  Arthur played in 80 games (9 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 20.1 minutes, 9.1  points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.  He has now played in 188 games (173 starts) in his first three years with the Grizzlies and he is averaging 18.8 minutes, 6.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

25-year old Rudy Gay has really turned into one of the best small forwards in the NBA and the Grizzlies need him to keep up the good work in 2011-12.  Gay played in 54 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 39.9 minutes, 19.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocked shots per game.  He has now played in 372 games (336 starts) in his first five years with the Grizzlies and he is averaging 36.0 minutes, 17.8 points, 5.6  rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

29-year old Tony Allen will likely be the starting at shooting guard when the 2011-12 season begins.  He played in 72 games (31 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 20.8 minutes, 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  Allen also shot 51% from the floor last year as he took a lot of good shots.  Allen has now played in 408 games (113 starts) in his first 7 years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.8 minutes, 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  24-year old O.J. Mayo was actually dealt to the Pacers for forward Josh McRoberts, but the paper work didn’t get to the league office in time.  Don’t be shocked if the Grizzlies deal Mayo before the season starts.  Mayo played in 71 games (17 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 26.3 minutes, 11.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  He has now played in 235 games (181 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 34.5 minutes, 16.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game.  20-year old Xavier Henry was a first round pick of the Grizzlies in 2010.  He played in 38 games (16 starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 13.9 minutes, 4.3 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.5 assists per game.  Look for his playing time to increase if the Grizzlies deal O.J. Mayo.  20-year old rookie Josh Selby was a 2nd round pick out of Kansas last June.  He’s pretty raw so it’s going to take some time likely in the D-League before he’s ready to play in the NBA.

24-year old Mike Conley has been solid since the day he arrived in Memphis and he keeps getting better.  Conley played in 81 games (all starts) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 35.5 minutes, 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  He has now played in 296 games (268 starts) in his first four years with the Grizzlies and he is averaging 31.5 minutes, 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  Look for Conley to have another good year for the Grizzlies in 2011-12, if there is one.  24-year old Greivis Vasquez had a rough time during the regular season as a rookie for the Grizzlies last year.  He played in 70 games (1 start) for the Grizzlies last year and he averaged 12.3 minutes, 3.6 points, 1.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.  Vasquez really improved in the playoffs last year and the Grizzlies hope that carries over into this season.  23-year old Ishmael Smith came over in a deal with the Rockets last year.  He played in 43 games (3 starts) as a rookie for the Rockets & Grizzlies last year and he averaged 10.3 minutes, 2.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.  Smith is clearly #3 in line for the Grizzlies this year.

57-year old head coach Lionel Hollins was a solid leader for the Grizzlies last year as he coached up his team. The Grizzlies have one of the best starting fives in all of the NBA and Hollins got them to play team basketball. The Grizzlies were 40-42 (48.8%) last season and they still have not yet got to .500 in Memphis. This year is going to break that trend in a big way. Hollins has a 71-114 (38.4%) career record in parts of four years with the Grizzlies both in Vancouver and Memphis. He has yet to coach in a NBA Playoff Game but I think that changes this year.