4 Grizzlies players fans should have their eyes glued to in the preseason

With the 2024-2025 NBA season right around the corner, expectations will be high for teams like Memphis looking to cement themselves as championship contenders.

Before the intensity of the regular season begins, teams will have five preseason games to slowly get into a groove and test out lineups involving players who will likely be generally relegated to the bench.

For the Grizzlies, these games will serve as a golden opportunity to test out the sea legs of a team that has only recently returned to full strength sans the untimely injury to GG Jackson.

Memphis will begin its preseason campaign on October 7th when they play their divisional rival, Dallas Mavericks, on the road. They will then return home for the following game, which is against the Charlotte Hornets on October 10th.

In addition to critical young players coming off the bench, coach Taylor Jenkins and crew will look to integrate potential rookie of the year candidate Zach Edey, who only played two summer league games.

While the preseason games themselves do not impact regular season standings, there is a reasonable expectation for starters to play roughly twenty minutes in a few of the five overall games, with bench players having ample time to shine.

Derrick Rose's retirement and GG Jackson's injury will require the young bench group to step up and provide solidarity and teamwork where it is needed during the regular season. They must also earn their playing time.

With newcomers from the draft combined with youngsters already present, the Grizzlies will have ample opportunity to figure out exactly who their team needs to excel and return to top form and which players fans should keep a close eye on.

1. Jake LaRavia

An increasingly interesting prospect from game to game, LaRavia represents what many would initially take issue with in young players: a lack of consistency shooting a wide range of selections ranging from savvy to questionable.

Yet with that being said, Memphis has made it clear that they are willing to invest the necessary time and dedication to bring out the potential for the 22 year old, who has shown flashes of excellency.

After playing during the summer league session, LaRavia had shown more of what the Grizzlies had expected of a player with refinement on the horizon, but still showing immediate promise for the frontcourt depth the team needs.

Despite the shooting averages remaining relatively unimpressive, the confidence in shot selection and overall savvy approach is a positive sign for potential improvements to come.

While improving, the third year forward will pour in as much effort as possible to aid the team, which was on full display during the summer league championship.

As LaRavia enters into his third season with Memphis, there will be an increased need to be able to contribute among what could potentially be a newly stacked frontcourt.

With a natural sense of synergy from his teammates combined with careful considerations and planning from the coaching staff, it's feasible to think that the former first round pick from 2023 could become a vital rotational piece on a championship caliber team.

While opportunities are unlikely to be wholly consistent, the preseason provides an excellent opportunity for LaRavia to showcase his refinements from the offseason and prove to the coaching staff that he is worthy of regular minutes.

2. Jaylen Wells

After picking early in the first round to select Zach Edey, Memphis followed up by selecting forward Jaylen Wells with the 39th overall pick, cementing a commitment to building a superior frontcourt.

Wells played 8 summer league games as the team made it to the championship round before falling short against the Miami Heat.

Despite this, the persistence and perseverance shown by the rookie was an immediate sign that the Grizzlies had invested the pick wisely.

The 21-year-old averaged 29.2 minutes per game and pitched in with north of a dozen points per game on respectable shooting averages that could reasonably help the team during the regular season.

Combined with a good sense of team play and shot selection, Wells gave the Grizzlies an extra morale boost after sinking a buzzer-beater to defeat the Sixers while scoring 27 points on an impressive shooting night.

As the preseason looms, Wells is expected to be given a fair amount of playing time as part of the bench unit.

Ideally, the rookie can help fill the void left on the team after GG Jackson's injury left the frontcourt in need of reinforcements beyond the starting unit.

While working with a limited sample size from the summer league, Wells will inevitably see playing time during the preseason games to give the club a better understanding of his fit for the regular season.

Wells will benefit from playing alongside frontcourt staples such as Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane who can help him continue to refine his mechanics and shot selection to become an integral part of the Grizzlies core.

3. Zach Edey

After being picked 9th overall, there was little doubt that Zach Edey would have an immediate impact on both the defensive and offensive prowess of the Grizzlies.

Despite only playing two games during the summer league, the former two-time college player of the year looked just as imposing and intimidating on the court as expected.

While the rookie will almost certainly begin the season with the starting unit, it wouldn't be entirely shocking to see him get early reps during the preseason as a way to test the waters.

With only two games to work with from the offseason, Edey's immediate impact still cannot be underestimated as the big man will look to assert his dominance over the competition.

While the reward in winning preseason games is limited to bragging rights, the five games will provide the team with opportunities to gauge how well the 22-year-old gels into the offensive and defensive schemes that the coaching staff implements.

The ability to freely test rookies among different lineups is a golden opportunity for the Grizzlies to experiment with various bench units and see how well different groups meld together.

With the priority being getting Edey acclimated with a potential starting lineup that will include the likes of Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr, it is likely that coach Taylor Jenkins will look to see how well the 9th overall pick fits in with the various young bench pieces as well.

4. Santi Aldama

As yet another member of the Grizzly's young core, Santi Aldama shines as a true standout center coming off the bench even at age 23 and entering his fourth overall season.

After playing primarily from the bench during his first two seasons, Aldama found himself starting in an impressive 35 games during the 2023-2024 seasons after an outbreak of injuries led to the record-breaking number of lineups used by Memphis.

While still being relegated to the bench for the upcoming season, Aldama serves as an important piece of a bench unit that can provide much needed support to the starters as needed.

In addition to smooth connections with his teammates, the former 30th overall pick has produced his own fair share of highlight-worthy plays and impressive shooting potential share of highlight-worthy trials.

Planning for the long campaign that is the regular season leaves most teams looking for answers to keep everyone rested and healthy, and having players who can provide consistent and solid minutes off the bench is a valuable commodity.

While Aldama is no stranger to the team's system and game plans, his presence in the preseason will help to give fans a better idea of how coach Taylor Jenkins will choose to run a frontcourt rotation and how well the players mesh initially.

With the first preseason game less than a week away, there's palpable excitement for the Grizzlies to return to form from the 2022-2023 season and pursue their championship hopes, backed by an energetic and young bench unit.