Grizzlies fans will need to be patient with this year’s rookie class

The Memphis Grizzlies may not have had a particularly high draft pick but they did manage to make a lot of noise in this year’s draft. They did so with a pre-draft trade that eventually led them toward picking up Ziaire Williams with the 10th-overall pick.

Many Grizzlies fans were puzzled by the selection. Why did Memphis trade away Jonas Valanciunas, the team’s sturdiest player from a season ago, for a skinny 19-year old who had a relatively disappointing season in college?

Even further on, the Grizzlies traded up again to the 30th overall pick and selected Santi Aldama, a player that most fans probably hadn’t heard of until the moment he was drafted. Somehow, however, confidence is still high on Beale Street.

The Memphis Grizzlies may have the perfect rookie class but fans have to be patient

It may not seem abundantly clear but the Memphis Grizzlies snagged two players in the draft to fill the two biggest weaknesses on the roster.

They started with the shooting guard position, where Memphis rostered a handful of serviceable guys who didn’t look like they’d ever become stars. Drafting Ziaire Williams is an attempt to get a player who can fill the long-term starter role down the road. The Grizzlies could have taken another player at the 17th spot who had a high-floor and a low-ceiling, but they didn’t. They took a risk.

The Grizz filled a quiet gap at the center position, where the team lacked size and shooting behind Jonas Valanciunas. Yes, they traded away their Lithuanian center, but picking up Aldama could go a long way down the road. The Spanish big man is a sniper, knocking down 37% of his 3-pointers in his final year at Loyola (Maryland) with the size (6-11) to play a more true center role than his counterpart in Xavier Tillman Sr., who is only 6-8.

The caveat behind this year’s draft class isn’t a matter of potential, though. Rather, this year’s draft class is highlighted by two players who have high ceilings but likely won’t produce immediately. This comes as a result of the fact that Williams is only 19 years old and Aldama hasn’t played at an extremely competitive level in his career.

Both also look like bean poles out on the court. They both have a lot of weight to add, and when they do so, they will be forces in this league — that much I can guarantee.

Right now, Memphis already has Williams on a reported 5,000-calorie diet, which is nearly double the average person’s daily intake. It’s clear that they’re trying to get his weight up as quickly and efficiently as possible. Aldama, on the other hand, isn’t as skinny, and he should develop in time as he adjusts to a bigger, stronger league.

But that’s the thing you have to remember — this will take time. Don’t expect either of these guys to crack the starting lineup for a long time, even if Ziaire shows all of the potential in the world.