Who should be the sixth man for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022-23?

Sixth man will serve key role for Memphis Grizzlies in 2022-23

One of the most important roles in basketball is being the first man off the bench. This position has been littered with stars in the past like a young James Harden or Manu Ginobili, which elevated them into long careers filled with accolades. The Memphis Grizzlies have a young talent on their roster that also has the potential to be much more than just a sixth man.

Ziaire Williams has been the talk of the offseason, and rightfully so. Last year’s No. 10 overall pick started 31 games in place of Dillon Brooks. In those matchups, he was a combined +123 when he was on the floor. Williams was a perfect fit with the starters and played a major role in the 56-win season. Now with Dillon Brooks back, the second-year guard could help this team even more by coming off the bench.

As a sixth man, Williams could still take a leap with a heightened offensive role while still having minutes with the starters from last season. His main goal throughout the offseason was to create off the dribble, and he has the opportunity to showcase that in this role. In addition, he will still get those open three-pointers with Ja Morant operating the offense.

With the current roster, Williams is by far the best option to be the sixth man for the Grizzlies this year. Coach Taylor Jenkins has been reluctant to pair Brandon Clarke with Steven Adams due to the lack of spacing. Tyus Jones has been great next to Morant, but the lack of size handicaps Memphis defensively against another team’s starting backcourt.

Many stars in the league have filled this role early in their career. This is just another stepping stone for another future star in the NBA.