The starting small forward position has haunted the Grizzlies since they traded away Rudy Gay in 2013. GG Jackson is still the youngest player on the roster entering year three, and he is making a case to become the team's starting small forward for the upcoming season with his impressive summer league performance to date.
The wing position is arguably the most important in the NBA, and having a dynamic scorer at that spot who can score on all levels would work better in tandem with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Entering the 2024-25 season, the Grizzlies started Marcus Smart/Desmond Bane at small forward (three-guard lineup) before Jaylen Wells took over the position five games into the regular season.
In five of the Grizzlies' six postseason games (including two play-in tournament games), the team resorted to starting an even smaller three-guard lineup of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Scotty Pippen Jr. If the team wants to contend, they have to solve that position and they have a couple of young candidates who could be the solution, including GG Jackson.
GG Jackson has a shot to become the Grizzlies' starting small forward on opening night
Memphis' Commercial Appeal beat reporter for the Memphis Grizzlies, Damichael Cole, made note on the Locked On Grizzlies podcast that Jaylen Wells will most likely be the starting shooting guard. This has been speculated since the team traded Desmond Bane because of his defensive fit with Ja Morant in the backcourt.
With the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, it isn't ruled out that Wells remains at small forward while Caldwell-Pope starts at shooting guard. If there were betting odds on who the Grizzlies start at those two positions, that tandem would likely be the favorite. However, the Grizzlies could use an additional scorer on the wing in the lineup to pair with one of those two, and that player could be GG Jackson.
GG Jackson's sophomore slump had many thinking he could be a trade chip this offseason, but the team took a step back to stock up on young wings with the addition of Cedric Coward with the 11th overall pick of the NBA draft. Due to Coward's absence from the summer league due to his shoulder injury recovery, GG Jackson has been put back into the spotlight with good results.
He averaged 23.5 points per game on 57/37.5/75 shooting splits through his first two summer league games in Salt Lake City before finishing his first summer league game in Las Vegas with 16 points on 50% shooting. Grizzlies' head coach Tuomas Iisalo is coaching the summer league team and has instilled confidence in GG Jackson's game, which is showing on full display.
Jackson has been used primarily as a downhill attacker on offense instead of a spot-up shooter, and it has done wonders for his game this summer. If he continues that momentum, he has a good chance to get the Grizzlies' future started early by starting next to Morant, Jackson Jr., Wells, and Zach Edey for the upcoming season.