Sitting at 6-12, the Memphis Grizzlies' season hasn't gotten off to the start they anticipated when building their team this offseason. Jock Landale was brought in to provide depth at the center position, as the team knew Zach Edey would miss time at the beginning of the season due to offseason ankle surgery.
Additional injuries made Landale an even bigger part of the rotation as a starter for their first 13 games, but he didn't provide the rebounding and rim protection that could mimic what Edey and Brandon Clarke provide. However, he has provided needed leadership after internal turmoil disturbed the team's early-season progress that got them off to a 3-2 start.
The vocal leader for the Grizzlies is Jock Landale
A lost part of the Ja Morant-Tuomas Iisalo early-season drama was that Jock Landale was one of the players who voiced his opinion on the sidelines. During their game against the Los Angeles, the night that led to Ja Morant's one-game suspension, Landale appeared to be talking with Morant as well to hold him accountable.
Ja Morant even mentioned after a later game that Landale talks loudly, almost like he's yelling, but they understand each other and feed off each other's energy. Landale has played the role that was meant for him as a backup center behind Zach Edey in their last five games and has been one of the Grizzlies' better reserves.
He has scored 20+ points in two of the past three games, and a video recently surfaced of him defending Ja Morant against a fan who was critical of his leadership. The makeup of a good team requires that kind of leadership, and Landale has surprisingly taken on that role for the Grizzlies.
He is averaging career-highs across the board with 11.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 22.8 minutes and shooting 54.5% from the field and 44.7% from three. His three-point percentage leads a struggling team that ranks 28th in the NBA in three-point percentage.
He continues to do his part when his number is called, and is proving to make a positive impact for the team both on and off the court. They executed their plan to add depth to the big man position this offseason with their addition of Jock Landale. Despite their disappointing start to the season, he has provided what they aspired him to be and more to help keep the team afloat as they navigate through the peaks and valleys of the regular season.