3 Summer League players who are justifying Grizzlies investment in their upside
By Mark Nilon
Grizzlies Player No. 3) Scotty Pippen Jr.
Scotty Pippen Jr. is good enough to be a full-time NBA player.
He proved as much last season while suiting up for the Grizzlies, as he posted impressive per-game averages of 12.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals on 49.3 percent shooting and 41.7 percent shooting from deep, and, through four games played in the Summer League, he's only strengthening this sentiment even more.
A true floor-general type of point guard, Pippen is playing the role of quarterback of the hardwood thus far into the festivities and is thriving while doing so.
Logging 29.8 minutes per game, the 23-year-old is sporting impressive averages of 18.3 points, 5.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and a whopping 4.0 steals all while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor.
With his underrated handles and speed, the soon-to-be junior has managed to pick apart defenses seemingly at will, while his quick hands have disrupted many opposing team's offensive sets -- take their latest outing against the Mavericks where he racked up five steals, for example.
Ever since Tyus Jones departed from the Grizzlies last summer, the team has been missing that pure backup one guard who can properly run an offense and fill in for Ja Morant when in need of a rest.
Fortunately for them, they seem to have found this type of talent in Pippen, and, if his production during his debut season with the organization wasn't enough to convince them, hopefully, his play during this year's Summer League will.