Memphis Grizzlies: Who the Heck is Andrew Harrison?
We’re gonna play a game. I’m going to play the roles of arguing both why and why not Andrew Harrison will ever be a good role player for the Memphis Grizzlies. This will be done in a university style debate.
INT. THE GRINDHOUSE IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. THE FORUM IS FILLED TO MAX CAPACITY, BECAUSE NO ONE HAS ANYTHING BETTER TO DO IN THE SUMMERTIME IN MEMPHIS. THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES EVER
The crowd is very loud in anticipation of the event that is to come. To begin the debate, the moderator Parker Fleming quickly grabs everyone’s attention.
Parker Fleming: OK, we need everyone to be quiet so that we can begin. Our resolution today is “Will Andrew Harrison ever be a good role player for the Memphis Grizzlies?” Nathan Chester, are you ready to begin?
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): You know it!
Parker Fleming: You may begin.
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): Ok. I have three contentions for why Andrew Harrison will never be a good role player. Contention one: He’s, without exaggeration, one of the worst shooters in NBA history. He shot 32 percent from the field last season (Ricky Rubio has the worst shooting percentage for a career in modern NBA history at 38 percent). Someone who shoots this badly is not playable for any extended periods of time.
*Crowd goes wild*
Nathan Chester (Believer): Now hold on a second!
Moderator Fleming: *sighs* You have to wait your tur-
Nathan Chester (Believer): No! I will now refute his first contention!
Moderator Fleming: Fine.
Nathan Chester (Believer): My opponent is wrong about his first contention. Andrew Harrison is still young, and he still has to learn to play the hardest position in the NBA. His shooting showed improvement in the playoffs, where he shot 44 percent against the best defense in the NBA. He’s going to get better.
*Crowd starts to murmur*
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): Yes. he shot very well over a six game series, a very large sample size. But no, he’s not going to get better, which leads me to my second contention.
Nathan Chester(Believer): It’s gonna be trash just like Wade Baldwin’s game.
Second Contention
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): Anyway, my second contention is that Andrew Harrison does not have the tools to get better. Harrison struggles to create his own shot, and he’s a very deficient scorer in general. Though he’s okay on defense, his game is limited due to the fact that he lacks foot speed and explosiveness. Regardless of how hard he works, these are not things that will improve with time.
Nathan Chester (Believer): But you forget his length! How many 6’6″ point guards can you name off of the top of your head?
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): At least a dozen.
Moderator Fleming: The Lakers just drafted one, and he doesn’t make me want to cry every time he takes a jump shot.
Nathan Chester (Believer): You’re the moderator, you don’t get to answer questions!
Moderator Fleming: *shrugs* I guess you’re not a big baller.
Nathan Chester (Believer): Regardless, Andrew Harrison is just a backup point guard. He doesn’t have to be the most explosive and quickest player on the court to be successful in his role.
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): You’re right, he wouldn’t have to be if it wasn’t for the fact that he is statistically the worst shooter in franchise history!
*Somewhere, Tony Allen sheds a tear and smiles*
Nathan Chester (Believer): Fake News!
Third Contention
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): Believe what you want. My third contention is that Harrison most likely doesn’t figure into the Grizzlies’ long-term plans. The Grizzlies have Wade Baldwin who is poised…..
Nathan Chester (Believer): HAHAHAHA
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): Yeah, Wade isn’t very good, but he still has more potential than Harr-
*Crowd audibly groans*
Nathan Chester (Believer): Look, this debate is strictly about Andrew Harrison. Comparing Wade Baldwin to Andrew Harrison is pretty much like comparing death by drowning to death by fire. One death may be more painful than the other, however, you’re still dying either way.
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): Fair enough.
Moderator Fleming: Y’all almost done?
Nathan Chester (Believer): I have one last thing to say *clears throat*. Grizz nation, I implore you to invest in our youth. The Grizzlies finally have a young player whom they can invest in. Harrison was a rookie last year, but he will get better.
Nathan Chester (Skeptic): No, he won’t. Because he lacks the tools to get better, he will suck just as much this year as he did last year. Andrew Harrison is terrible, and time is not going to change that. Your argument has been as successful as Chris Paul in the 2nd round of the playoffs!
Moderator Fleming: And with that joke, we have a winner!
*Crowd begins chanting “Whoop That Trick”*
END SCENE
Next: Summer League Review: Wade Baldwin
In all seriousness, the Grizzlies definitely need to invest in their youth movement right now. However, when a team invests in their youth, they need to do that for players who have upside. Andrew Harrison has shown that he simply doesn’t have the talent and upside for the Grizzlies to continue to invest in him. When roster moves continue to be made, Harrison very well be the odd man out.