Zach Edey might be starting to fly under the radar when discussing how this year's Grizzlies will perform. Cam Boozer and Cedric Coward are exciting pieces for the future, and the Grizzlies have some promising depth. But if there is a player that can cause the Grizzlies to significantly exceed expectations in the Western Conference, look no further than Zach Edey.
Cam Boozer is rightfully creating plenty of excitement, but let's not forget the leap Zach Edey was making last season. Selected 9th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zach Edey was starting to shut down many unfair narratives about him before the draft, such as his ability to play bully ball and how well his defense would translate in the league.
In 11 games Edey averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.5 stocks in 25.8 minutes before eventually having to miss the rest of the season. It's entirely fair to worry about his long-term health, especially after multiple injuries and surgeries to his left ankle, and he will have to prove he can stay healthy.
But for now, let's focus on why Zach Edey can turn the Grizzlies into a surprise team in the Western Conference.
Zach Edey had a strong second-year leap tragically cut short
Players such as Cedric Coward and Cam Boozer will be able to make a winning impact, but if the Grizzlies get the Zach Edey they were getting last season, the team should be more competitive than most outside of Memphis expect. Beyond Edey's base stats, the impact he made on the team as a whole was one of a key franchise cornerstone.
The Grizzlies had the third best defensive rating in the NBA during the stretch of games Zach Edey played and even showed some offensive improvement. A struggling team that was 4-9 ended up going 7-4 after Edey returned, including the November 25 loss against the Nuggets that he exited just a few minutes in.
Edey is still capable of becoming a dominant offensive force
Most of the attention will rightfully be focused on Edey's rebounding and defensive impact, but don't count out the potential for an offensive leap. Edey improved his scoring average by 4.4 points, but what's even more encouraging is that he became a much more efficient free-throw shooter and drastically boosted his efficiency on shots from 3-10 feet away.
Now, when adding players such as Cam Boozer to the mix and already having players such as Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer on the roster, the Grizzlies' pick-and-roll offense should be much more dangerous. Edey should also benefit from improved entry passes into the post compared to last season.
Zach Edey should continue to be a reliable defensive anchor and elevate the team's rebounding, but why can't he also be a dominant offensive force? It was a small sample size last year, but the signs suggest that Edey could still make another offensive leap heading into his third season. It will be a balanced scoring attack, but don't be surprised if Edey ends up becoming a top 3 scorer on the team.
The Grizzlies are very early into their rebuild, but Zach Edey has all the tools needed to make Year 1 even more successful than many expect.
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