Inconsistent play has been the Grizzlies' Achilles heel throughout the second half of the regular season, but they have played well enough to be in position to compete with three other teams for the West's two seed. While Jaren Jackson Jr. has garnered attention this season as an All-NBA performer, the Grizzlies' third guy of their big three has quietly kept the engine running.
The Grizzlies' status as a contender began when Desmond Bane entered the starting lineup during the 2021 - 2022 season, and General Manager Zach Kleiman confirmed that he had their core after that season. A year later, Bane was rewarded with a contract that made him the highest-paid player on the team with a five-year, $197M extension.
However, the respect he has around the NBA continues to be undervalued when there are mentions of who is the best third guy.
Desmond Bane wasn't listed in The Bill Simmons Podcast's top five of third guys
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo discussed the best third guy in the league on their recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast and mentioned Bane in their list of guys to choose from. However, the final of their top five third guys were Cleveland's Darius Garland, Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren, Boston's Derrick White, New York's Mikal Bridges, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
While that list of names is strong and could arguably all be listed ahead of Bane, his name was mentioned in passing, especially by Russillo. While it is arguable if Bane should be mentioned in the top five of third guys, his value to the Grizzlies has been close to a number two guy throughout his tenure with the team.
Injuries to Ja Morant and foul trouble with Jaren Jackson Jr. in the past have made Bane's impact nearly the most important on the team. He currently leads the team in minutes per game with a 31.6 average and was the only player averaging over 30 minutes for a while this season.
He has also had some great performances lately, including scoring 44 points on 7-7 shooting from three in the Grizzlies' loss to the Sacrament Kings on March 17th. Unfortunately, his best performances this season have come in losses as he notched his first career triple-double with 35 points against the Atlanta Hawks earlier this month, which was a loss also.
It's important to note that Ja Morant missed both of those games and Jaren Jackson Jr. left the Hawks game early with an ankle injury. Desmond Bane continues to fly under the radar, but that might ultimately be a good thing for the Grizzlies. As long as they have their big three healthy, they always have a shot at advancing when the playoffs come around.