3 starting small forward options for Grizzlies heading into 2023-24

2. Ziaire Williams

Since being nabbed with the 10 overall selection back during the 2021 NBA Draft, Ziaire Williams has yet to regularly showcase the type of potential that generally comes with a player of such a stock.

Throughout his two years of action with the Grizzlies, the 21-year-old supports rather underwhelming averages of 7.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from the field.

Despite this, however, year three may be the time when Williams is tasked with being thrown into the proverbial deep end that is the starting lineup so the franchise can once and for all see if he sinks or swims.

Evidence from last season suggests that, at the very least, he has the capability to tread water, which may be all this Grizzlies team needs following Ja Morant’s return.

Though a small sample size (as was his sophomore season as a whole considering he saw just 37 games in total due to injury), when inserted into the starting five in 2022-23 the Stanford product went on to post solid averages of 12.8 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds while shooting a highly efficient 53.8 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from distance.

With his impressive length (6-foot-9 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan) coupled with his innate athleticism, Ziaire Williams possesses the natural tools that teams often covet from their wing position.

Now it’s time to show that he can use these attributes to his advantage and reveal the reason why Zach Kleiman opted to take a chance on him with such a valuable selection.