Into the Bears’ Den: Analyzing who will earn the Memphis Grizzlies’ remaining roster spots
By Ian Pierno
Troy Williams
Parker Fleming
Why he will make the team: Feet. I’m not talking about Troy Williams’ feet. I’m talking about Deyonta Davis and Jarell Martin’s feet. Both have been undergoing foot pain all summer, leaving their big man depth somewhat depleted. With Brandan Wright and Marc Gasol coming back from season-ending injuries, they would be wise to add a 5th big man.
Why he will not make the team: 3-4 depth and DJ Stephens. While Williams can play the 3 and the 4, there is just so much depth ahead of him: Parsons, Ennis, Carter and possibly Allen will have reps at the 3 position. At the 4, the Grizzlies could use Randolph, Green, Martin, Davis, Wright or Parsons. Also, there is a 6’5” version of him on this roster named DJ Stephens. Because of his versatility to cover positions 1-4, Williams may be sent packing.
Side note: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04wFrTvlDVY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdT_QOQT_qw are proof that Stephens and Williams are the same player.
Verdict: Make
Ryan Schmitz
Why he will make the team: Preseason. Williams has done pretty well in the offseason. If he can play well in the preseason, the Grizzlies may pick him over guys like Stephens or Harrison.
Why he won’t make the team: Depth. With the assumption that Stephens is the better player, Williams is already behind. The Grizzlies have plenty of forwards already which makes it even tougher for him to make the team.
Verdict: Cut
Jacob Collins
Why he will make the team: He can shoot. As a sophomore at Indiana, Williams shot over 40 percent behind the 3-point arc. The Grizzlies continue to move into the modern age by adding athleticism and shooting and Williams can check off both of those boxes.
Why he won’t make the team: He isn’t as good as guys on fully guaranteed contracts. The roster math is simply working against him. The Grizz gave him a partial guarantee and I would assume that was because they have hopes of adding him to the Iowa Energy roster (much like what I foresee with Selden).