3 Memphis Grizzlies who could be forced out of the rotation in 2021

The Memphis Grizzlies‘ rotation is one of the more fluid ones among all NBA squads. Even with some form of a regular rotation by the end of the 2020-21 season, there were still some unexpected changes in the lineup.

Head Coach Taylor Jenkins made it clear that nobody’s job is safe. The best player on any given day will earn minutes.

For example, the emergence of Desmond Bane last season came as a surprise to virtually everybody. Players like De’Anthony Melton and Brandon Clarke, both of whom looked like up-and-coming Grizzlies, lost out on minutes to rookies Desmond Bane and Xavier Tillman.

With a shuffling Memphis Grizzlies roster in the 2021 offseason, which players could be forced out of the rotation next season?

Memphis Grizzlies Player No. 1: PG Tyus Jones

As usual, I’m giving the short slide to the player that I’ve already covered in the past with considerable depth. Still, this is worth a mention.

Last year, Tyus Jones was as good of a backup point guard as the Grizzlies could have asked for. The former Duke guard led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio with 5.5 assists per giveaway, making him one of the best passers in the league.

The issue here is in regards to paying Jones. As a relatively young point guard (25 years old), Jones will be looking for a long term contract that matches his recent performances. With higher priorities, the Grizzlies will likely lean closer toward the possibility of letting him go, which may be why they brought in a veteran in Kris Dunn.

Dunn may not necessarily be a better backup point guard than Jones for Ja Morant, but he plays at a comparable level and he’ll come for a considerably cheaper price. This could be more of a financial trade-off than a player losing minutes to a more talented guy.