How does the Memphis Grizzlies’ rotation change without Grayson Allen?

The Memphis Grizzlies turned more heads last week when a trade was announced that involved Grayson Allen, a player who started for a large portion of the 2020-21 season in the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr.

Allen wasn’t a star player, nobody is claiming that, though he was an extremely efficient shooter who has the skillset to be a starter in the NBA. He showed this in 2020-21 when he averaged 10.6 points on 39% 3-point shooting in 25 minutes per game. The former Duke guard came to Memphis as a guy who trips people and left as a fan-favorite that was vital to the team’s success.

But all good things come to an end and Allen is no exception. While Taylor Jenkins, Zach Kleiman, and anybody else involved in the decision-making on Beale Street likely wanted to keep him, there simply wasn’t room for him on the team any longer.

And so, Allen was traded.

How does Grayson Allen’s absence affect the Memphis Grizzlies rotation?

At this point, the primary question at the front of everybody’s mind is something along the lines of “how does this affect the team’s starting lineup?” To give it to you shortly — it doesn’t, at least not in the long run. Allow me to explain.

While Allen’s 25 minutes per game will be missed, the Grizzlies traded G3 away after acquiring Ziaire Williams in the NBA Draft. Williams will be Allen’s replacement.

That said, Williams won’t take over Allen’s entire role right away. In fact, he may not even fill the role that Allen had occupied at any point in the upcoming season, which will open the door for more minutes from Desmond Bane and De’Anthony Melton. In all likelihood, however, none of these players will be in the starting lineup on game one next season.

Instead, we’ll likely see a starting lineup of Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams. Allen would not have started anyway, so every shooting guard on this team will be fighting for a 6th-man role — which should be the primary takeaway from this trade.

Allen played his way into a contract season in a starting role — something that the Grizzlies would not have been able to give him if they signed him to a long-term deal. Even though two second-round picks and a reserve player seems like a bad deal, the Grizzlies were simply salvaging what they could, as signing the sharpshooter to a big contract wouldn’t make sense for either side.

In the long-term, it’s actually pretty simple. The Grizzlies will hope to eventually have a lineup that includes Ja Morant, Ziaire Williams, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams. If all goes right, this will be the lineup by the end of the season.