Grizzlies Season Grades: Jeremy Pargo.

(This is the eleventh part of an ongoing series where we will grade the Memphis Grizzlies team and franchise for the 2011-2012 season. The first ten parts can be found here: Lionel Hollins, Mike Conley Jr, Tony Allen, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, O.J. Mayo,Marreese Speights, Dante Cunningham and Quincy Pondexter.)

We’re getting close now. We have almost graded the head coach and every significant player on the Grizzlies on their 2011-2012 work. It feels good to get to the end of such a journey. Don’t forget though, the NBA Draft is nearing and we have a few draft profiles up here and here, and will likely add a few more between now and then.

Before the season ever started, the Memphis Grizzlies reached out and signed former Gonzaga point guard Jeremy Pargo to a three-year contract with a third year Qualifying Offer. Pargo had been playing overseas since his eligibility expired at Gonzaga after the 2009 season and had played pretty well.

Also working in his favor was the Grizzlies needing a back-up point guard that fit Lionel Hollins’ system a little better than the guy that they had at the time. I feel like this may have been mentioned once or twice as well.

When Pargo arrived, Vasquez was shipped out and he was elevated to being Mike Conley’s back-up.

Pargo played pretty well too, especially early on. In just the second game of the year against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Conley left the game with an injury less than a minute into the game and Pargo stepped right in and played very well, ending up with 15 points and 7 assists.

It was the highlight of his Grizzlies career so far and it came in just his second game.

Funnily enough, his playing time would go up, then down and he would never join a regular rotation for the rest of the season.

Pargo was a pretty good offensive player and could get to the basket pretty easily, but he had a tendency to take some bad jump shots, especially when he thought he was heating up. He probably led the team in heat checks, even though he played less than anyone not named “Selby” or “Haddadi.”

Still, he was long and quick defensively. He just didn’t do enough good things to stay in Hollins’ rotation and barely saw the court in the last three months of the regular season and playoffs.

According to Hoops Hype Pargo is signed for this year for $1 million, which is a good rate for a back-up point guard, but I’d be surprised if he’s brought back , especially if the Grizzlies draft a point guard next week.

Best Game:

The Oklahoma City game was thrilling.

To me it showed what Pargo could be if he got a chance to contribute. Every game after that just added to Hollins’ legacy as the Point Guard Killer. I’m convinced that Hollins would have ruined Jason Kidd’s career had he been on staff with the Mavericks when Kidd was a rookie. Kidd would have spent five seasons in the league with three different teams if Hollins had his way.

2011-2012 Season Grade: D+.

Not playing wasn’t totally his fault, but had he bought into the system maybe he could have been salvaged. Either way, there’s not a big enough sample size to truly grade him. This could easily be an Incomplete.