Memphis Grizzlies: 3 ways Ziaire Williams can make the starting lineup

“We were after Ziaire,” Memphis Grizzlies Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Zach Kleiman said at the introductory press conference welcoming Zaire Williams to Memphis.

“Six-foot-nine wings are nearly impossible to come by with shot-making ability, athleticism, and intelligence,” Kleiman told reporters after the 2021 NBA Draft.

Indeed, they are, Mr. Kleiman. It’s why fans of the Memphis Grizzlies are clamoring to see the 19-year-old Williams on the court to see what he can do with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr.

Fans are cautiously optimistic that Ziaire Williams will blossom into a star, forming a “Big Three” for the Memphis Grizzlies.

The consensus right now is that Williams will be a project. No one is putting pressure on him to become an overnight sensation. The team knows Zaire Williams needs to bulk up, fine-tune his three-point shot, and get acclimated to the pace of NBA action.

But, what happens if Zaire Williams turns out to be an undeniably great basketball player during his rookie season? What will Coach Taylor Jenkins need to see from the rookie to put him in the starting lineup with Morant and Jackson, Jr.?

That is, after all, the ultimate goal — to get Williams in a position to succeed and play with the cornerstones of the franchise as a member of the starting lineup.

There are a few scenarios in which Ziaire Williams could crack the starting lineup for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2021-22 season.