Memphis Grizzlies: Deyonta Davis could be starting center of the future
Over the past several weeks, the Memphis Grizzlies have seen plenty of Deyonta Davis. Could he be the team’s starting center of the future?
Due to injuries, the Memphis Grizzlies have played their long players more frequently. Mike Conley’s heel issues have opened up time for Andrew Harrison and two-way player Kobi Simmons. Chandler Parsons’ knee troubles give James Ennis more run with the team. With Brandan Wright’s persistent health problems, young big man Deyonta Davis has been given a lot of time.
From the looks of it, he should continue seeing valuable minutes.
Brandan Wright hasn’t been able to stay healthy the past three years. Right now, Davis and Wright offer just about the same skills. Both players are rim-running center who are threats for lobs and can protect the rim. The glaring difference, Davis is 21 years old while Wright is approaching 30.
It only makes sense to play the younger player with more potential to grow, right? *remembers Mario Chalmers, Wade Baldwin situation and fades into oblivion*
With this season looking more and more lost everyday, the Memphis Grizzlies should continue to groom Deyonta Davis to become a productive NBA center. He has the tools to become a starting center in this league.
With saying that, could Deyonta Davis become the Grizzlies’ starting center of the future? Is he the guy who mans the middle whenever Gasol isn’t in Memphis anymore?
Offense
Right now, it’s pretty easy to see what Deyonta Davis does on offense. He catches the ball around the rim and either dunks it or lays it in.
Around the rim, he’s shooting an incredibly efficient 76 percent — which he should as a 6’11” big man.
He’s served as a beneficiary of many dump-off’s and lobs from Tyreke Evans as he’s
assisted on 12 of Davis’ buckets
. In addition, he’s established great chemistry with Chandler Parsons in the pick-and-roll as they’ve connected on multiple alley oops.
Deyonta Davis has to continue mastering the pick-and-roll. Because of his ability to rise up and finish above the rim, he could become a premier lob threat. With the right playmakers, he could easily generate 10 points a game just off the pick-and-roll.
Davis’ post-game is kind of promising, but extremely raw. He’s converted on some turnarounds in the post, but they looked awkward nonetheless.
The post game has become irrelevant in today’s NBA, but establishing one would make Davis a commodity for the Grizzlies.
For Davis to become a NBA starting center, he needs to establish some sort of jumpshot. He’s displayed flashes of a reliable jumper in the mid-range, and he needs to continue working on that. He has the mechanics to eventually develop a 3-point jumpshot, but he needs to master the mid-range game first.
Defense
Defensive is where Deyonta Davis’ potential lies. He’s a long, athletic big man with the size to battle down low and the mobility to switch on guards. In today’s NBA, that’s a necessity and a premium.
As a young big man, he’s shown great shot-blocking instincts. He’s averaging 0.6 blocks in 11.5 minutes per game (1.9 per 36 minutes). In addition, he’s altered shots without necessarily blocking them.
Like any other young big man though, Davis needs to work on not fouling while going for blocks (5.6 fouls per 36 minutes). In order to become a NBA starter, he needs to tone down the fouling — because obviously you can’t be in the game if you’re fouling too much.
The Grizzlies need to give him as many reps as possible to groom him into becoming a legitimate rim protector.
Next: Conley must do something he's never done before...
Closing Remarks
Deyonta Davis has the skillset to become a starting center in this league. He’s a mobile, athletic center who can evolve into a low-usage, high-efficiency starter.
As the “tanking” conversation becomes louder and louder every day, Davis is a player the Grizzlies need to give plenty of reps to. The team is low on many promising prospects, and he might offer more upside than any of them.
In the new age NBA, he’s the perfect center for the Memphis Grizzlies to lean on in the post-Marc Gasol era.