Memphis Grizzlies: 3 Examples to Finding a ‘Real’ Plan to the Rebuild
By Ed Memphis
Example One: Front Office Vision
One savvy move the Perry/Mills group made was hiring Head Coach David Fizdale, one who is emphatic on developing young talent if nothing else.
Just a few months prior to the Fizdale hire, Mills/Perry scouted and traded for former top-10 Draft pick Emmanuel Mudiay. “Mud” has been referred to by Hall-of-Fame coaches like Larry Brown as “a star talent that just needed the opportunity to shine.”
The New York Knicks traded expiring contract Doug McDermott along with second-round picks to get Mudiay, a guy hyped as legit star talent by some of the greatest hoops minds ever. The downfalls Mudiay sustained while with the Denver Nuggets were injuries, and the tandem of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray falling in the same team’s lap.
Related Story. Rift Between Memphis Grizzlies, David Fizdale Led to Win-Win SItuation. light
In David Fizdale’s first press conference as New York’s head coach, he mainly talked about prospect development. One point of emphasis was regarding prospect Emmanuel Mudiay. Fizdale told Mudiay in front of everyone that he is personally invested in getting the point guard “right.”
Sure enough, Coach Fizdale was seen at sports outings with younger Knicks players over the summer. Mudiay lost a lot of weight, shedding a body I once compared to those playing in Ice Cube’s BIG3 League. Mudiay also improved his handle, ability to finish at the rim, and thus his confidence.
The results are alarming as Emmanuel Mudiay went from averaging 8.5 points and three assists per game on approximatley 39% field goal shooting in Denver last season to now — in his first full season as a Knick — averaging well over 14 points, four assists, and three rebounds per game on greater than 45% shooting from the field.
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This is his stat line after starting this season buried on the bench behind guards Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina. Mudiay has changed his career under the vision and decision-making of Perry/Mills. The crazy thing is this. In just two seasons while in charge of the New York Knicks, Perry/Mills has several of those feathers in their hats now.
Former Indiana Hoosiers player Noah Vonleh was an unrestricted free-agent this past summer after being drafted in the top-10 just four seasons ago. Vonleh arrived with the reputation of a hard-working big man, but one with low basketball IQ and virtually no other skill aside from rebounding.
In other words, Noah Vonleh was an outdated big man despite being so young at just 22 years old. Noah, under Fizdale, has become an all-around playmaking big man who flirts with triple-doubles on a nightly basis when given the ball.
These are the type of gems the Memphis Grizzlies could really use while being short on future Draft picks. These gems were available to a team such as the Knicks, who now have Draft picks in their arsenal, too, so how are the Grizzlies missing out?