The day everybody has been waiting for is finally on the horizon — the Memphis Grizzlies‘ preseason opener. Okay, maybe it’s not the regular-season opener, but it’s the fans’ first chance of seeing their full team as a complete unit. Okay, maybe not a completely full unit, as a few players will be out while nursing injuries.
Regardless, fans will feel a sense of relief to see their favorite basketball team take the court again as the Grizzlies face the Milwaukee Bucks in their first preseason game. It’ll be a good chance to learn about a team with more turnover than many expected this offseason.
Today, I’m going to cover three storylines to watch in the Memphis Grizzlies’ preseason opener.
Grizzlies Preseason Opener, Storyline No. 1: Will the new guys fit in?
The biggest and most general storyline to follow is simple — how will all of the new guys fit in. When I say “new guys,” I’m referring to Steven Adams, Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama, Kris Dunn, Jarrett Culver, and Yves Pons. I intentionally left off Sam Merrill, who will be missing the game with a left ankle sprain.
With a total of seven new additions, it’s unclear how Taylor Jenkins plans to change his team’s rotation. We won’t get a great idea of this, as the starters will likely play more sparingly than they would in a regular-season game, but we will get a stronger idea of where he’s attempting to fit them into this lineup.
Specifically, a crowded wing position with additions in Ziaire Williams, Jarrett Culver, and Yves Pons (kind of), will likely begin to sort itself out.