Could the Memphis Grizzlies have their own small-ball ‘Death Lineup’?

The 73-win Golden State Warriors torched the opposition with their small-ball “Death Lineup” last season. With new additions to the Memphis Grizzlies via free agency and the draft, could the Grizzlies have a similar lineup with the same effectiveness up their sleeves? If used, the numbers certainly say so.

The NBA has become a versatile-friendly league. The Golden State Warriors have blitzed opponents by placing 6’7″ bulldog Draymond Green at the 5 position around wings Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes, as well as reigning MVP Stephen Curry. Now that they replaced Barnes with former MVP Kevin Durant, their “Death Lineup” has become more deadly than ever.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won a title with 6’10” “power forward” Tristan Thompson playing center alongside Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. Thompson’s ability to switch on guards and close out on shooters played a huge role in the Cavaliers’ title run.

With the league getting smaller, will it be a good idea to test out lineups with Chandler Parsons playing the 5 position?

The Memphis Grizzlies have worn down teams over the years with All-Star brutes Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Now that most teams are playing small forwards at power forward, the Grizzlies can’t afford to have them running around the perimeter to keep up with their man.

Insert Chandler Parsons.

Parsons will definitely start at the small forward position. However, it would not be surprising to see him play significant minutes at the power forward position.

Chandler Parsons played roughly 600 minutes at the power forward position last season in Dallas. He averaged 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per 36 minutes a game. In addition, he had a true shooting percentage of 65.5%, which would rank top five in the league.

At the small forward, Parsons averaged 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per 36 minutes. He also had a true shooting percentage of 55.3%.

Chandler Parsons’ production is significantly better at the power forward position. As a stretch 4, he would space the court for the Grizzlies offense. With Chandler Parsons having three inches over Draymond Green, is it possible to see him at the small ball 5?

Parsons did not bode well as a roll man in the pick-and-roll, only hitting three out of his eight field goal attempts. However, with Mike Conley, Parsons could feature as a pick-and-pop man, allowing him to capitalize on more open open three-point attempts.

Tony Allen: Small Forward

Tony Allen’s impact is game-changing, both positively and negatively. When he’s on, he is a wrecking ball on the court, slashing to the goal and generating turnovers. When his game is off, teams sag off on him, a practice known as the “Tony Allen Treatment.”

The Grizzlies need to factor in Tony Allen’s impact at the small forward position, when factoring in Chandler Parsons as a stretch four or five.

At small forward, his net rating was +8.5. In addition, he averaged 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per 36 minutes.

At shooting guard, his net rating was an atrocious -10.2. He scored 12.0 points, grabbed 6.4 rebounds, and generated 2.3 steals per 36 minutes.

Don’t let the scoring difference fool you. His true shooting percentage was more effective at small forward, at 57.3% as opposed to 47.3% when playing shooting guard.

Last season, whenever he was on the court with Mike Conley and Courtney Lee, the Grizzlies were a net positive scoring.

Penciling in Tony Allen at small forward in this lineup with Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons is essential for the Grizzlies’ success. His slashing will be more effective in a spread lineup.

What’s Left?

Mike Conley at point, Tony Allen at small forward and Chandler Parsons at the 5 leaves questions at shooting guard and power forward.

Shooting guard will hinge on the development of Wade Baldwin IV, Troy Daniels, and Andrew Harrison.

If Baldwin proves to be ready next year, he’ll be a major factor in this lineup. At 6’4″ with a 6’11” wingspan, he’ll be able to guard positions 1-3. Furthermore, if his 40+ percent three-point shooting translates to the pros, Baldwin will make opponents think twice about doubling Mike Conley or Chandler Parsons. Wade Baldwin will have to make a Norman Powell or Josh Richardson-like impact to be a major factor for the Grizzlies next season.

Troy Daniels is an intriguing, sweet-shooting option, but his defense is lackluster. At shooting guard, he averaged 18.8 points per 36 minutes with a true shooting percentage of 63.1%. However, his net rating was -10.6. Maybe, his defensive weakness will be hidden with Mike Conley and Tony Allen; however, this lineup will bust if Daniels gets burned at his position.

Andrew Harrison spent last season in the D-League. He may not be ready, but at 6’6,” he is an intriguing option.

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Names to watch at shooting guard: Jordan Adams and Tony Wroten. If both of these players are on the roster and healthy, they can be difference-makers in this lineup.

With Chandler Parsons at the small ball 5, James Ennis seems to be the only logical answer at the 4.

The 6’7″ forward is a 3-and-D wing that could be a key in this versatile-heavy lineup.

Bottomline

While it is fun to think of a small ball lineup where Chandler Parsons is at the 5 with Mike Conley at the point, it will need to be used in small doses. It’ll be a fascinating lineup to deploy to push out a 5-7 minute run, not a crucial fourth quarter playoff game.