The brunt of the discourse around the Grizzlies' 4-7 start to the season has been aimed at their stars, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., and rightfully so, as they take up a combined 48.14% of the team's salary cap space. However, Jaylen Wells has begun his sophomore season in a slump that the team couldn't afford to have with their injury list.
The former Rookie of the Year finalist last season had one of the best rookie seasons by a second-round draft pick in NBA history, as he solidified himself as the team's starting small forward. Following the trade of Desmond Bane this offseason, many were hopeful he could take a leap to offset the loss of the Grizzlies' former starting shooting guard. The pressure might have been too much as another rookie is on the heels of taking his job.
Jaylen Wells' rookie 3-and-D role is his best role
One notable takeaway from the Grizzlies' media day and preseason was that Wells would be taking on a secondary playmaker role in a starting lineup that lacked it outside of Ja Morant. While he looked comfortable with that responsibility during the preseason, he has reverted to a catch-and-shoot role during the regular season.
Veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been the team's secondary playmaker in the starting lineup, averaging a career-high 3.4 assists. Wells continues to be the team's primary defender on the opposing team's best perimeter scorer, but his shot on offense hasn't been falling this season.
After averaging 10.4 points on 42.5% shooting from the field and 35.2% from three during his rookie season last year, Wells is averaging 9.3 points on 35.2% shooting from the field and 25.9% from three through 11 games this season. Meanwhile, rookie lottery pick Cedric Coward is averaging 14.8, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 52.9/44.4/91.7 shooting splits off the bench.
Also, a notable development is that Coward has been getting more minutes than Wells, averaging 26.6 minutes to Wells' 25.1 on the season. Hypothetically, the Grizzlies would like a starting combo of Wells and Coward together, but Coward could replace Wells before that plan becomes a reality.
Shooting slumps happen, and Wells is adjusting to a new role with added pressure without the playmaking and scoring of Desmond Bane next to him, and no lob and screening threat of Zach Edey available in the lineup thus far. His last three games have seen him shoot 50% from the field (10-20) and from three (4-8) on much less volume, so he seems to be slowly trending in the right direction as he becomes more acclimated to the new system.