3 key takeaways from Memphis Grizzlies Media Day

On Monday, the Memphis Grizzlies took part in their annual Media Day, and a large portion of the team’s key members were found in attendance representing the navy blue and gold.

2023-24 is viewed as a pivotal year for Taylor Jenkins’ squad, for they come riding into the season fresh off two consecutive second-seeded finishes with nothing to show for it other than one single postseason series win.

Throughout the summer, analysts have been on record talking up these Grizzlies, with some going as far as to predict that they could find themselves legitimately vying for a title come season’s end.

This year’s Media Day saw Memphis singing a similar tune, though discussed throughout were many topics and talking points regarding what it will likely take for them to be thrust into the contention conversation.

Key takeaways from 2023 Media Day for the Memphis Grizzlies

During the festivities, there were many noteworthy quotes and discussions that came about. Here are a few, in particular, that fans should be well aware of.

3. Derrick Rose is looking to contribute on the court

A few weeks back, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko predicted that newly signed veteran guard Derrick Rose “might find himself playing more” during his upcoming debut season with the Grizzlies than some might expect.

Though the overwhelming consensus view of his addition to the team was that he’d serve primarily as a mentor for many of the young talents in tow, namely troubled superstar Ja Morant, the former MVP himself acknowledged that while he’s looking forward to playing the role of mentor, he also indicated that this isn’t his only desire and he suggested he’s not looking to collect dust on the sidelines due to inactivity.

"“I’m not here to babysit, micromanage, or anything like that,” Rose said. “I’m not here to be a plant in the locker room or any of that. I’m here to help guys win. I’m not here to steal minutes, I’m not here to steal nobody’s job. I’m here to win, I’m here to show that I still have a lot left in the tank.”"

2022-23 was a challenging season for Rose, as he was pulled from the New York Knicks rotation without much public reasoning with just 27 games under his belt.

However, despite this, during the four years leading up to his removal, the former All-Star found himself relishing in his new-found role of playing off the pine, as he posted impressive averages of 16.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from deep.

On top of this, just three years ago Rose found himself finishing third in the running for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

Now coming into his first NBA season out in Memphis, it appears the veteran is hoping to show he can still provide similar types of contributions.