Three Memphis Grizzlies veterans are now free agents, but who stays and who goes? Their value to the growth of the team is going to be the deciding factor.
With the Memphis Grizzlies needing to make a push sooner rather than later behind superstars Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the rest of the Grizzlies roster suffer from “age-displacia.” A term I just made up to define a player that is either too old or too young to fit a system. Unfortunately, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Vince Carter fit that mold.
Zach Randolph
Zach Randolph has been a fan favorite during his time in Memphis, but last year, his style was a bit different. He came off the bench, most likely to mask his fading athleticism and defense. Even as a liability, Randolph posted solid numbers coming off the bench, but really slows down and dictates the pace whenever he’s in. Randolph is still a lethal isolation scorer, but his athleticism seriously hinders his ability to secure minutes. Half of the Grizzlies’ losses were due to their roster. They veterans were too old or not skilled enough to set an example for the younger players. Randolph is no exception.
The way Randolph plays is prehistoric. He gets the ball, jab-step, jab-step, jab-step, baby jumper. And it’s money. It has been for years, BUT it’s not nearly as effective as it used to be. Players can adapt quickly, and once Randolph is stopped on the offensive end, he’s borderline useless. Yes, he can bring a physical defensive presence down low, but Randolph has never been known as a shot-blocker. With the Grizzlies turning towards a more youthful, quicker pace. Randolph has become expendable.
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Tony Allen
On to the player that changed the entire culture of the Grizzlies: Mr. “Grit ‘n’ Grind” himself, Tony Allen.
I will avoid talking about Tony Allen on offense because, there isn’t much to talk about. As much as he loves Memphis, he simply doesn’t fit like he used to. When he was bringing the energy and defense that combined with the rest of the team’s effort, he was an efficient player. Minimally contributing on offense, usually nothing more than a shot or swing pass, but anchoring the backcourt defense. He was in a role that he wore beautifully. Sadly, this is no longer the case.
Last year, we saw Tony Allen, time and time again, be given the ball to run the offense. Why? This is outside his boundaries, and it just hurts my eyes to watch. Not because it’s poor basketball, but because I like Tony Allen and watching him fail is miserable. He’s an emotional player, and it’s upsetting to watch him get down on himself like that. His effort has been forever unrivaled, but unless his game is put inside of a box, he’s also expendable.
Vince Carter
I saved the best for last. Mainly because he’s the only player from this list that’s NOT expendable. The first knock against him is age, but I didn’t see it last year. His knees didn’t look like they were about to buckle. He wasn’t dying after a long run. He was an effective player that just happened to be over the age of 40. I don’t believe that fighting time is a good idea, but time is clearly working with Vince Carter, not against him. Compared to the other veterans on this team, he’s the only one that’s not a liability. On defense, slightly, but only because of his age. He’s not getting torched off the dribble, and his intensity is still a high as ever. Devin Booker and Kyle Anderson, you know what I’m talking about.
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Realistically, I don’t see why there would be a need to let Carter go to bring back Randolph and Allen. If two of the three veterans won’t be signed, Vince Carter makes the best case for staying. Not just because he’s seasoned and has the right experience, but because he’s still the most impactful player of the three. He scored 24 points in a game last year, which was well above anything expected from him. Unless the age bug bites him hard over the summer, his level of play will continue the same way it has for around five years – when people first thought VC should retire. He has proved everyone wrong year after year, and I’m confident he can groom the Grizzly cubs into heavy impact player like himself.