Memphis Grizzlies vs. Sacramento Kings Preview: Rookies Non-factors, Skal Thriving
As the Memphis Grizzlies head into tonight’s game, the rookies have been non-factors this season. Meanwhile, old coach Dave Joerger has found a gem.
The Memphis Grizzlies are rolling into tonight’s game looking to avoid a four-game losing streak. A loss here would give them their second four-game losing streak of the month. Hopefully, they can find their rhythm against a rebuilding Kings team.
Ideals Reversed?
Going into the season, many believed that Dave Fizdale’s reputation for player development would signal a change for the Memphis Grizzlies: young guys in the rotation.
Aside from Andrew Harrison, their young guys are out of the rotation. After a rough start to the season, first-round pick Wade Baldwin has played in Iowa for the majority of 2017. An injury and the return of Brandan Wright kicked Deyonta Davis out of the rotation and into Iowa. Jarell Martin’s inconsistency on the defense end of the court led to his D-League stint.
Meanwhile, in Sacramento, former coach Dave Joerger is doing something totally uncharacteristic: playing young guys. Like WOAH! SOMEBODY CALL A DOCTOR!
After trading away DeMarcus Cousins, Joerger is looking for keepers in recent draft picks. If they keep playing guys like Kosta Koufos and Ty Lawson 30 minutes a game, they could potentially lose their draft pick.
In the process, he’s found some gems. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive must be pleased with his “Steph Curry” as Buddy Hield has scored 14.8 points on 44.2 percent shooting from downtown. Last year’s lottery pick Willie Cauley-Stein has become more of a scoring threat, averaging 12.8 points since the trade.
The biggest story from this trade, however, is rookie Skal Labissiere. The Kentucky Wildcat has been surprisingly solid since the All-Star break. He’s averaging 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in only 19.1 minutes per game. Translate that to per-36 numbers: 19.4 points and 11.9 rebounds. In addition, he’s the only rookie this season to eclipse the 30-point mark in a single game.
Want to know something funny:
Where was Skal taken? 28th.
Did the Memphis Grizzlies Make the Right Choice?
Right now, it’s hard to tell if the Grizzlies made the right choice. With Wade Baldwin, it’s hard to deny his talent and potential. In addition, with Conley’s impending free agency, nabbing a young point guard was a legitimate need.
By the time the Grizzlies traded back into the second round for Deyonta Davis, Labissiere was off the board.
In hindsight, should they have selected him at 17 or trade back into the first round again for him?
One thing that’s tough to see is if Labissiere would’ve even played much this season for Memphis. Baldwin and Davis aren’t receiving playing time, because the Grizzlies always lean towards their veterans around this time of year. On the other hand, the Kings are evaluating their young talent.
Because of Skal Labissiere’s ties to Memphis, Wade Baldwin’s success will always be compared to his career. Be prepared for many “What if” scenarios for the next decade.
Next: Twitter Mailbag: Fizz, Playoffs, Free Agency
Game Info
WHO: Memphis Grizzlies @ Sacramento Kings
WHEN: 9:30 PM – CT
WHERE: Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA
HOW TO WATCH: Fox Sports Southeast (or any online stream)
HOW TO LISTEN: 92.9 ESPN – Memphis
BETTING ODDS: Grizzlies (-6.5); Over/Under (198)
TWITTER: @BealeStBearsFS