Memphis Grizzlies held their annual media day yesterday, and they didn’t disappoint. It was surely a blast hearing the coach and players’ aspirations for the upcoming season and also seeing some new faces introduce themselves.
While we certainly got answers on some of the team’s biggest concerns, like Jaren Jackson’s injury status and Danny Green’s future, some other takeaways deserve to be highlighted.
Let’s take a look on some things that you may have missed from yesterday’s media day.
Santi Aldama set for breakout season
Taylor Jenkins and Zach Kleiman stated that there are many candidates to fill the hole in the four while Jaren is out. However, they both took the chance to talk about Santi Aldama and praised his improvement over the summer.
Dillon Brooks pointed out that we’ll be surprised with what we see out of him this season, and several other Grizzlies players spoke highly of him. Santi wasn’t a part of the rotation last season, but it seems like the team believes he can play a key role in the Grizzlies’ present and future.
Aldama himself admitted having a very good summer and said he’s ready to show his work and earn more minutes.
He did have an impressive Summer League, averaging 15.6 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. It’s certainly going to be very interesting following him during training camp and seeing what his place will be in the rotation.
Jake LaRavia and David Roddy are ready to make a difference
The Grizzlies haven’t been afraid of giving rookies big minutes over the last years, and that trend could continue with LaRavia and Roddy as well.
Kleiman pointed out that shooting is something that the team should improve on to get better at the playoffs and implied that the two rookies could go out and contribute right from the start. LaRavia emphasized how the coaches pushing him to be more aggressive has given him more confidence with shooting the ball.
Jenkins also praised them and mentioned them as options to replace Jackson Jr. in the starting lineup to start the year.
LaRavia and Roddy are two versatile forwards that would give the Grizzlies a lot of flexibility as they explore their lineup options. The front office and coaching staff wanted to surround Ja and Jaren with more shooters, and they achieved that.
It seems like the Grizzlies will be able to internally replace the losses of De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson. The competition at the 3 and 4 between them, Konchar, and Ziaire Williams will undoubtedly be a storyline to watch as we approach opening night.
Memphis Grizzlies still have a chip on their shoulder
Perhaps the most comforting takeaway of this media day was to see that none of the Grizzlies players has lost his motivation.
When asked about his thoughts regarding his ESPN ranking, Ja Morant responded that he has eight more spots to go.
When asked about his Defensive Player Of the Year aspirations, Jaren Jackson Jr. replied that he wants it badly.
Desmond Bane stated that he’s always got a chip on his shoulder and said the Grizzlies have the chance to achieve something special.
Dillon Brooks assured us that he’s still got his dogs with him.
Zach Kleiman and several players were very vocal about the team’s ultimate goal, which is to bring a championship to the city of Memphis.
After surprising everyone in the 2021-22 season, it seems the Grizzlies will not rest on their laurels, and they’re hungry for more. While there aren’t many people left to be proved wrong, everyone is still highly motivated to come out and be the best.
As the team heads into the new season, the vibes remain the same, and Memphis fans can sleep well knowing the Grizzlies organization won’t rest until they reach the top.