John Konchar Stays Jitty
No more De’Anthony Melton means that there will definitely be meaningful rotation minutes up for grabs heading into training camp. John Konchar has a massive opportunity to secure those meaningful minutes and to really produce in them.
The Memphis Grizzlies front office showed their belief in Konchar’s abilities by giving him a three-year, $19 million dollar contract extension this offseason, which keeps him in Memphis for the next five years. This proves that they think that he can be a valuable part of the winning culture that they are creating long-term.
There are shades of Mr. Do Something all throughout John Konchar’s game. His averages per 100 possessions last season show this, as he averaged 12.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists on 51% shooting from the field and 41% from three, as well as 1.7 steals, and 0.8 blocks. He played 24 or more minutes in only 13 games last season, but he was a positive in plus/minus for 10 of those games. The Grizzlies’ record in those games was 10-3, the clearest indicator of the impact he has on the team.
Much like Melton, Konchar brings extremely solid on-ball defense, while also having the ability to produce deflections and disrupt passing lanes. He possesses sneaky athleticism and a nose for the ball that allows him to be an excellent rebounder. In a win on January 13 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Konchar put up a stat line of 15 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 3 of 4 from the three-point line. Those are simply eye-popping rebounding numbers for an unimposing 6’5″ guard to put up.
Although he only attempted 1.8 3PT FG per game, the fact that he made them at a 41% clip while having such good form is nothing to look over. In the 19 games that John Konchar shot at least three attempts from beyond the arc, he shot a total of 30 for 66. Let’s be real, he probably will not shoot 45% percent from three next year if he increases his volume, but this shows that he is very capable of being a real threat from downtown. If defenders have to stay attached to him on the wing, it will create more opportunities for open back door cuts and will increase his chances to drive and kick, both in which he thrives doing.
John Konchar has a real chance to prove that he can be an extremely valuable role player for this Grizzlies team that is trying to stay at the top of the Western Conference. His ability to be an efficient shooter and a stellar rebounder at the guard position mixed with his ability to gain extra possessions on defense will allow him to fill the rest of the void left by De’Anthony Melton’s exit.