Looking at Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans after Tony Allen signing

How do the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans benefit from the Tony Allen signing? Does he make Pelicans a playoff team?

It was a normal 2017 summer day in the NBA world. There’s not a lot going on as teams prep for the regular season. Memphians wonder when the Grizzlies will sign Tony Allen and/or JaMychal Green then …

SHAM BOMB

FINALLY, TONY ALLEN IS ON A TEAM … but he’s not with the Memphis Grizzlies.

It’ll be tough to see TA on another team — yet alone, a division rival. It’s going to be even more interesting given the Grizzlies’ season opener is at home … against New Orleans.

No need to wait for the Tony Allen homecoming, am I right, Grizz nation?

Now that a TA deal is out of the way, how do both teams fare? Did the Memphis Grizzlies make the right call? Can Tony Allen improve this Pelicans’ thin wing depth?

Impact on the New Orleans Pelicans

Aside from Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo, the New Orleans Pelicans lack real weapons around Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. Their wing depth is paper thin, especially since Solomon Hill is out for the majority of the season with a torn hamstring.

Before the Tony Allen signing, it looked like E’twaun Moore and Jordan Crawford would start on the wings. In New Orleans, TA may receive a starting role — something he may not receive in Memphis.

Granted, he’s an elite defender and could be the best defender of the 2010’s. The way he instilled a culture and ignited a playoff run in Memphis could pay off in New Orleans. They’ve lacked a strong veteran presence for a while, and he can fill the void.

However, his offensive impact is minuscule. In Memphis, he thrived off backdoor cuts and drives to the paint, but where will he find those looks in New Orleans? DeMarcus Cousins is a decent shooting big man, but he excels when he bullies his opponents inside. Anthony Davis isn’t a consistent threat from the outside … yet. Holiday is a league-average shooter. Then they have Rajon Rondo, a guard who may be an even worse shooter than Tony Allen.

Wouldn’t Rondo and Tony’s lack of shooting abilities hurt the spacing around DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis?

This lack of spacing is a huge issue, and signing two aging vets who can’t shoot can cripple this team’s playoff chances. More importantly, it can damage their chances of retaining DeMarcus Cousins (an unrestricted free agent next summer) and Anthony Davis (a player who could demand a trade at any moment … *cough* Boston).

Impact on the Memphis Grizzlies

It was time.

The only way to completely move on from “Grit ‘n’ Grind” and embrace Dave Fizdale’s vision of “pace and space” was to let Zach Randolph and Tony Allen walk. It was time to do so. Both players have valuable skillsets, but their deficiencies are too glaring to ignore.

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Not to mention, the Grizzlies are loaded in the backcourt. We don’t want to see Tony Allen as the backup point guard. There are also four shooting guards who fit Fizdale’s system better.

At this point in his career, can Tony Allen surpass Tyreke Evans, Ben McLemore, Wayne Selden or Troy Daniels in the depth chart? Probably not.

The Grizzlies need to see what they can get out of their young guys. Who knows, maybe a bench player will emerge as a key piece for this team like Tony did in 2011.

It’s hard to see a fan favorite leave the team, but as we’ve seen in the NBA the past few summers, it’s a business.

Thank you, Tony, for all you’ve done for this city. No one deserves to wear your number ever in Memphis ever again.