5 storylines to watch during Memphis Grizzlies preseason games
2. Will Taylor Jenkins experiment with vacant starting spot?
During the team’s Media Day, Head Coach Taylor Jenkins rattled off half a dozen names that he could envision starting in place of the injured Jaren Jackson Jr. So who gets start No. 1 when the team takes the court on Oct. 1 at Milwaukee? What about preseason game No. 2? Will he try someone else?
It’s probably a safe bet that he’ll do some experimenting. Here’s some possible starting combos we see throughout the course of the preseason:
- Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams
- Morant, Bane, Brooks, Brandon Clarke, Adams
- Morant, Bane, Brooks, Jake LaRavia/David Roddy, Adams
- Morant, Bane, Brooks, Santi Aldama, Adams
3. How will the Memphis Grizzlies rookies be deployed into the rotation?
We’ve had the luxury of seeing all five rookies for a few games during the Summer League games back in June and July. The only main-roster players LaRavia, Roddy, Kennedy Chandler, Vince Williams Jr. and Kenneth Lofton Jr. got to compete with were Aldama, Williams, and Xavier Tillman Sr.
How will these players gel with Morant and some of the other starters during preseason? Jenkins may not play the starters much early in the preseason, but we should see enough to get a feel for which rookies complement the players soaking up the most playing time.
Some of the rookies will be better suited competing with the second unit alongside Tyus Jones and John Konchar. So, that will be something to keep an eye on: which rookies can play with Morant the most seamlessly?