5 Young players the Grizzlies should develop, 3 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
Develop: David Roddy
The Grizzlies acquired the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft from Philadelphia for De’Anthony Melton. It was a bold move, and Memphis selected David Roddy after three years at Colorado State. The 22-year-old was in the rotation on opening night, and he showed plenty of flashes on his way to producing 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18.0 minutes each night over 70 games.
The advanced metrics were not favorable, but that frequently happens to rookies. Roddy took part in summer league where he averaged 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. The 6’6 forward is in contention to be the Grizzlies starting small forward this season.
Even cracking the rotation as a 21-year-old rookie should be considered a positive, and Roddy played in all six playoff games for the Grizzlies last season. The stats do not jump off the screen, but Memphis went 44-26 when he played, which is a 51-win pace for the entire season.
Is he ready for a massive role? The 6’6 forward is working hard on his game this summer and should continue to improve. Finding a rotation player in the late first round is a victory, and the Memphis Grizzlies should continue to develop David Roddy to see what he can become.