<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/jaylen-wells-replace-desmond-bane-ja-morant-partner');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies believe Jaylen Wells can replace Desmond Bane immediately');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Why-Grizzlies-believe-Jaylen-Wells-can-replace-Desmond-Bane-immediately.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies believe Jaylen Wells can replace Desmond Bane immediately</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-29T15:32:13-07:00">August 29th, 3:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-29T15:32:13-07:00">August 29th, 3:32pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A franchise cornerstone suddenly departing is often met with uncertainty and angst. When the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-honest-desmond-bane-trade-to-magic">Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane</a>, a homegrown star and one of the NBA’s premier shooters, to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and a haul of four unprotected first-round picks, EVP/GM Zach Kleiman signaled a profound shift in the team’s trajectory. While the return provides immense future flexibility around Ja Morant, it created a glaring, immediate hole on the wing: how do you replace 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, junkyard-dog defense, and elite floor spacing? Well, the entire organization is rallying around Jaylen Wells to handle the job.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/exclusive-tuomas-iisalo-grizzlies-rebooting-grit-and-grind-culture-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr">Grizzlies are not panicking</a> after being swept out of the NBA Playoffs. Ja Morant had the Oklahoma City Thunder figured out after all. Instead, everyone in the building is excited about how Wells, a second-year forward and 2024 second-round steal, will build on the All-Rookie Team promise to step right into Bane’s shoes. Drafted 39th overall, the 22-year-old’s quick rise and all-around game have everyone in Memphis convinced the search is over for a primary perimeter threat and defensive stopper.</p><h2><b>How Grizzlies find gold</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-James-Harden-Clippers.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Kleiman’s front office has a proven track record of identifying and cultivating talent. Desmond Bane is the ultimate case study, evolving from the 30th overall pick into a max-contract player posting 20-5-5 season averages consistently. The development department simply excels at amplifying strengths and integrating players into a cohesive, aggressive system.</p><p>Jaylen Wells <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/5112087/jaylen-wells" rel="noopener">burst onto the scene</a> in 2024-25, earning a starting role after just five bench appearances and suiting up for 79 games (74 starts). He averaged 10.4 points (8.6 FGA), 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 25.9 minutes per game, shooting 42.5% from the field, 35.2% from beyond the arc (on 5.1 attempts), and 82.2% from the line.</p><p>The rookie initially excelled as a spot-up threat, stretching the floor for Ja Morant’s attacks, and held his own defensively with his 6-foot-8 frame. Unfortunately, a fractured right wrist and concussion from a hard fall against the Charlotte Hornets (April 8) ended his season prematurely, just as the Grizzlies clinched an NBA Play-In Tournament spot. The absence of Wells was highlighted on every Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drive in the NBA Playoffs.</p><p>Still, despite a late-season rookie wall slump in the final two dozen games and those injuries, a 15.6% Usage Rate hints at untapped potential now that Bane’s 14.6 shots per game (22.7% Usage Rate) are up for grabs. While the suggestion that Wells replacing Bane will make the Grizzlies better might seem ridiculous on the surface, some advanced analytics numbers suggest it is a pretty safe bet. Fans can cherry-pick them as they please to pass the rest of the offseason’s downtime. Meanwhile, more minutes, shots, and responsibility should see a significant uptick in production.</p><ul><li><b>2025-26 Season Per Game Projections</b></li></ul><p>These projections do not assume Wells will be Bane 2.0. Instead, they paint a picture of a hyper-efficient, high-impact 3-and-D wing who will capitalize on the creation of his star teammates. His points will come more from catch-and-shoot opportunities and cuts than the self-creation Bane mastered, but they will be no less valuable to the team’s ecosystem. Those projections do assume Wells eats up about 65% of what Bane left behind offensively, plus a few more weak-side help blocks to boot.</p><p>Memphis is more worried about how Wells adapts to the new system with an increased workload than the raw stats to start the season. He demonstrated an NBA-ready, elite-level stroke that goes beyond being a stationary shooter as a rookie. A sophisticated ability to relocate, come off screens, and knock down shots with a high, quick release gives opponents problems. Of course, now they know it is coming, but this skill set is precisely what the Grizzlies need to maintain their offensive identity.</p><p>Tuomas Iisalo’s game plans will likely remain predicated on pace, space, and giving Ja Morant room to operate. Having gravity as a shooter will be critical to preventing defenses from collapsing on Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. With the starting small forward position his to lose, Wells is projected to see his minutes skyrocket into the 30-32 minute per game range.</p><p>Based on his per-36 production, adjusted for expected growth and a larger role, realistic statistical projections start at 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, and 1.5 blocks/steals per game. Wells (6.9) finished last season just ahead of Bane (6.8) on three-point attempts per-36 minutes after all. Upping that three-point volume and success rate to the 37.5% range would be more than enough to keep defenders occupied.</p><h2><b>Where Jaylen Wells needs work</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-vs-LaMelo-Ball-Hornets.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The biggest question mark for Jaylen Wells is on-ball offensive creation. While Desmond Bane was a proven scorer and secondary playmaker, Wells is still developing his isolation game and pick-and-roll skills. However, with Bane’s usage rate vacated, Ja Morant will undoubtedly reclaim his status as the undisputed, ball-dominant engine of the offense. This could propel Morant back into the MVP conversation.</p><p>Similarly, Jackson Jr. should see more touches and opportunities to operate in the post and on the perimeter. The gravity of a shooter like Wells on the wing prevents help defenders from sneaking away to double-team Jaren Jackson Jr. Wells, as a low-usage, high-efficiency threat, is the perfect complement, spacing the floor without needing the ball in his hands to be effective. There is time to learn the nuances of isolation excellence before signing a second contract worth around $100 million total.</p><p>The Grizzlies are not asking Wells to be the third big headliner on Beale Street. They are asking him to be the ultimate glue guy, which is a role Bane outgrew in many ways. In this sense, Wells isn’t replacing Bane’s stardom; he’s replacing his function, allowing Morant and Jackson Jr. to ascend to even greater heights. In essence, recalibrating the championship course in this manner was probably best for Bane, Wells, Orlando, and Memphis.</p><p>Bane’s true shooting percentage sat at 60.0%, reflecting his efficiency as a secondary option next to Morant and Jackson Jr. With a usage rate around 23.3%, Bane was a go-to guy for spacing and creation. The trade to Orlando addressed the Magic’s shooting woes as they ranked dead last in three-point shooting (31.8%).</p><p>Iisalo seemingly plans to utilize Wells in a similar role to Bane’s, running him off screens, involving him in pick-and-roll actions, and letting him attack closeouts. His improved three-point shooting in summer workouts has impressed coaches, suggesting he’s ready for the increased volume.</p><p>Therefore, the Jaylen Wells era may be beginning not in spite of the franchise-altering trade, but because of it. The Grizzlies did not see Bane’s departure as a loss of a star but as an opportunity to create one. In doing so, they might have built a roster around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. that is deeper, more flexible, and ultimately, more dangerous. Just look at the incoming depth that will help Wells learn.</p><p>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a known commodity: a high-IQ, defensively stout veteran who can hit open threes. His arrival does not block Wells; it provides a safety net. It allows Wells (and GG Jackson) to compete for minutes with a clear understanding of the standard from day one. The front office, by acquiring a player of KCP’s profile, is betting that Wells can already provide similar production with a far higher ceiling. Perhaps even higher than Bane’s and close to say, Jimmy Butler’s peak.</p><p>Speaking to ClutchPoints, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-waves-off-fandom-miami-heat-talking-weird-nba-moments-jimmy-butler-taj-gibson">Jaylen Wells admitted Jimmy Butler was a big influence</a> in preparing for NBA life. He also shares Bane’s sharpshooting DNA but brings extra length and versatility on both ends. Bane was a playmaking hub; Wells flashed improved handles in NBA Summer League action. Still, risks linger, like adapting to targeted defenses, but the rewards are huge. If the Washington State by way of Sonoma State alum matches Bane’s output right away, the Grizzlies could stun the West and prove the trade genius.</p><p>The main 2025-26 NBA story starts soon and all the stars will get the red carpet treatment through training camp. However, Jaylen Wells is the most important supporting cast character to watch. With Caldwell-Pope handling 3-and-D duties on the second unit, Wells can focus on elevating next to Morant and Jackson Jr. The on-ball creation needs work, but Wells’ efficiency and defense could make him an even more balanced fit next to the Grizzlies’ stars than Bane ever was sooner rather than later.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies believe Jaylen Wells can replace Desmond Bane immediately

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-fans-will-love-jaylen-wells-reason-for-not-skipping-summer-league');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies fans will love Jaylen Wells’ reason for not skipping Summer League');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Wells.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies fans will love Jaylen Wells’ reason for not skipping Summer League</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-07T21:45:58-07:00">July 7th, 9:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-07T21:45:58-07:00">July 7th, 9:45pm</time><address><a>Miguel La Torre</a>Miguel La Torre is a lifelong sports junkie and seasoned sports writer whose passion for the game has been with him since childhood. A former soccer player turned dedicated runner, he's now chasing his dream of completing all seven major world marathons. Miguel is also a proud Utah Jazz believer, a passionate Manchester United and Real Madrid supporter, and loyal Novak Djokovic fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Memphis Grizzlies sophomore Jaylen Wells walked into the locker room of the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and took in a familiar sight. His jersey was hanging there, ready for his return to the floor.</p><p>For Wells, this was more than just another game. It marked his first chance to compete <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-positive-update-after-scary-injury">since breaking his right wrist in April</a>, and he was <a href="https://x.com/jessbensontv/status/1942295346216067377" rel="noopener">eager to get back</a> into the action with his teammates.</p><p>After being drafted 39th overall by Memphis last year, Wells had already shown plenty of skill during his rookie year. He started in 74 out of the 79 games he suited up, averaging 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, before sustaining a broken right wrist just days before the playoffs. No one would have blamed him for focusing on rehab until training camp.</p><p>But he made it clear he wanted to play, and his reason was simple and genuine. “I love playing basketball,” Wells, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rookie-jaylen-wells-deserves-serious-nba-all-defense-consideration">a 2025 NBA All-Rookie 1st team member</a>, said. “It’s always an opportunity to get better and to be able to play with guys like GG and Cam and gain chemistry.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jaylen Wells on why he wanted to play in Summer League: "I love playing basketball. It's always an opportunity to get better – and to be able to play with guys like GG and Cam and gain chemistry." <a href="https://t.co/PuWfy76pNH">pic.twitter.com/PuWfy76pNH</a></p><p>— Jessica Benson (@jessbensontv) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessbensontv/status/1942295346216067377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>His attitude reflects the hustle attitude that the Grizzlies fans have come to admire. Wells did not look for excuses or easy ways out; he values every chance to improve, whether in an arena packed for a regular season game or a Summer League matchup.</p><p>When the team faced the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, the 21-year-old wasted no time reminding everyone what he can do. He scored 20 points, grabbed four rebounds, and handed out three assists. He attacked the paint consistently, hit shots from the perimeter, and defended with energy.</p><p>The numbers were impressive, but what stood out the most was how comfortable he looked in his first game back. He played without hesitation or any visible concern about his wrist.</p><p>“It was fun,” the 6-foot-8 forward said. “I didn’t really think I would think about the injury until I walked in the locker room and just saw my jersey hanging up. I was like it’s been a minute. It’s been a minute for sure. I’m back to 100 percent, I don’t feel any pain, no discomfort, so blessed to be able to walk away with that.”</p><p>Recovering from a broken wrist meant long hours of therapy and rebuilding strength and mobility. It also meant questions about whether he could pick up where he left off. His comments, however, summed up months of work behind the scenes. And his performance answered those questions.</p><p>He did not look rusty or tentative whatsoever, moving well on both ends of the floor and showing the same poise that helped him stand out during his rookie season. The chemistry he talked about with GG Jackson and Cam Spencer was also clear to anyone watching.</p><p>Jackson poured in 20 points of his own, while Spenced chipped in 14. The three shared the ball effectivel, playing like a group already familiar with each other’s tendencies, which is exactly what Wells wanted to build in these games.</p><p>Wells choosing to play in the Summer League sent a positive message to the franchise. He showed he is ready to compete for a bigger role and is committed to growing his game. Memphis wull need contributuons from its young players, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-gm-admits-desmond-bane-trade-great-magic">especially after significant roster changes</a> in the offseason. Wells has already proven he can handle responsibility and is willing to put in the time to develop his skills further.</p><p>His return also highlights the value of the NBA Summer League beyond statistcis. For Wells, it was a chance to reconnect with competition, build trust with teammates, and regain rhythm after months away from live games. While some see these matchups as minor exhibitions, players like Wells who are hungry for improvement treat them as another step in their growth as a professional.</p><p>The Washing State product not only contributed efficiently, but played with confidence and a steady presence that is rare in young players coming off an injury. His effort and mindset will be important as the team looks to develop its core and return to playoff contention.</p><p>Wells performance is a reminder that commitment and mindset can make a difference, regardless of the setting. He has shown he is willing to do the work, make up for lost time, and embrace every opportunity to improve. Memphis has plenty to look forward to as he continues to develop. He is healthy, motivated, and ready for whatever comes next.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies fans will love Jaylen Wells’ reason for not skipping Summer League

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-jaylen-wells-puts-abc-on-notice-after-embarrassing-broadcast-blunder');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells puts ABC on notice after embarrassing broadcast blunder');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaylen-Wells-of-the-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells puts ABC on notice after embarrassing broadcast blunder</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-20T20:59:43-07:00">April 20th, 8:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-20T20:59:43-07:00">April 20th, 8:59pm</time><address><a>Lorenzo J Reyna</a>Lorenzo J Reyna has joined ClutchPoints as Associate Editor of NFL &amp; NCAA Football. He's equipped with past experience for both realms through his recent stops at Pro Football Network and Heavy while also writing for 247Sports. His Twitter/X handle is @LJ_Reyna and his Instagram is @lj_zo_rey.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Turns out the Memphis Grizzlies weren’t the only ones <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-insane-stat-okc-dominated-grizzlies-game-one">with embarrassing moments in Oklahoma City</a>. Even ABC dealt with a massive blunder — one that Jaylen Wells put on notice Sunday.</p><p>The network zeroed in on the Grizzlies sidelines. A discussion surfaced involving Wells and his in-game injury. Cameras zoomed in on the player originally thought of as Wells.</p><p>But instead that player was Zyon Pullin, who was already inactive for game on against the Thunder. Wells immediately posted a succinct response — clearly disapproving of the moment from ABC.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="qst">… <a href="https://t.co/G7653kkfDK">https://t.co/G7653kkfDK</a></p><p>— Jaylen Wells (@jaylen_wells) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaylen_wells/status/1914095247296016521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Dave Pasch and Tim Legler didn’t state the zoomed player was Wells. This is merely a camera operator mishap.</p><p>Broadcast blunders aren’t anything new. It’s happened during and after the regular season in live games, regardless of sport. However, players will call it on in this era of social media. Wells did just that.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies embarrassed on day Jaylen Wells receives honor</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Grizzlies-vs-Thunder.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The most stunning element Sunday, though, wasn’t limited to the Wells/Pullin mistake. The final score became shocking.</p><p>Oklahoma City entered a heavy favorite. But the top-seed in the Wester Conference pulverized the Grizzlies 131-80 to open this series at Paycom Center. The 51-point onslaught now represents the most lopsided series opening win in NBA playoffs history. It’s also the worst loss in Grizzlies franchise history.</p><p>The OKC X account even threw shade at the Grizzlies. They posted the caption “foot on the gas and we’re moving fast” <a href="https://x.com/okcthunder/status/1914023698832748660" rel="noopener">while posting a series of second quarter highlights</a>.</p><p>Oklahoma City watched six different Thunder players hit double figures in scoring. Aaron Wiggins led OKC with 21 points — taking that mantle over Most Valuable Player candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA was a force, though, by scoring 15 points and even blocking 7-foot-4 Zach Edey’s shot attempts twice.</p><p>Jalen Williams added 20 points while Chet Holmgren scored 19. The Thunder pummeled Memphis on a day the Grizzlies’ Wells <a href="https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1914086505791766856" rel="noopener">got named as an NBA Rookie of the Year finalist. </a>Memphis will attempt to redeem itself on Tuesday. Even Ja Morant dropped a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-guarantee-51-point-blowout-loss-thunder">bold guarantee ahead of the Grizzlies-Thunder rematch</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells puts ABC on notice after embarrassing broadcast blunder

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rookie-power-rankings-24-25-stephon-castle-beats-zaccharie-risacher-jaylen-wells');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Stephon Castle barely beats out Zaccharie Risacher, Jaylen Wells');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NBA-Rookie-Power-Rankings-Stephon-Castle-barely-beats-out-Zaccharie-Risacher-Jaylen-Wells.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Stephon Castle barely beats out Zaccharie Risacher, Jaylen Wells</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-10T14:47:30-07:00">April 10th, 2:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-10T15:39:52-07:00">April 10th, 3:39pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Even though there are still games remaining on the NBA schedule, voters know who they are choosing for the Rookie of the Year award at this point. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-stephon-castle-believes-rookie-year-locked-up">Will it be Stephon Castle, the heavy favorite</a>, or could it be Zaccharie Risacher, the first-overall pick? What about Jaylen Wells and the season he’s put together as a vital swingman and one of the best rookies in the league for the Memphis Grizzlies?</p><p>Whereas <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/rookie-of-month-award-afterthought-spurs-stephon-castle">Castle is a focal point at the end of the season</a> for the Spurs with Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox sidelined, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/why-hawks-zaccharie-risacher-should-win-rookie-of-the-year-over-stephon-castle-alex-sarr">Risacher turned into a vital part of the Atlanta Hawks’ success</a> on the wing. Wells has also been a vital part of his team’s success, and he helped put Memphis in a position to claim an actual playoff spot.</p><p>Unfortunately, Wells’ season has come to an end, as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-positive-update-after-scary-injury">rookie suffered a broken wrist</a> during a scary-looking fall against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. While running in transition and elevating alone for a layup, Wells was undercut by Charlotte Hornets guard KJ Simpson, causing him to fall hard on his head and wrist.</p><p>It took several minutes for paramedics and the teams’ medical staff to get the Grizzlies rookie situated on a backboard before transporting him to the hospital. <a href="https://x.com/KSimpsonJr/status/1909879245033136459" rel="noopener">Simpson took to social media</a> in order to express his guilt and apologize to Wells. All has been forgiven between the two sides on a matter that could have been significantly worse than it turned out to be.</p><p>Wells has been fantastic this year for the Grizzlies, but it appears as if Risacher and Castle have the edge over him in the Rookie of the Year race. So which top pick will end up claiming this season’s award?</p><p>For the final time this season, Castle sits at the top of the NBA Rookie Rankings.</p><h2><b>1. Stephon Castle – San Antonio Spurs</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Spurs-Stephon-Castle-2.jpg"><figcaption>Soobum Im-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #4</i></p><p><i>Stats: 79 games, 14.6 points, 4.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 42.8 FG%, 28.3 3P%</i></p><p>Since the start of March, Castle has averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor. Although he has not established himself as a strong three-point shooter, Castle has checked off all the boxes for being a focal point of the Spurs’ young core next to Wembanyama and Fox for many years to come.</p><p>His blend of athleticism and high basketball IQ allows Castle to play on or off the ball, and he plays with a sense of calmness that helps bring out the best in his teammates.</p><p>Over his last six games, Castle has averaged 19.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game with two double-doubles. At this point, it would be a surprise if the top player in the NBA rookie rankings didn’t win the Rookie of the Year award.</p><h2><b>2. Zaccharie Risacher – Atlanta Hawks</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #5</i></p><p><i>Stats: 72 games, 12.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 45.0 FG%, 34.9 3P%</i></p><p>This has been a great season for the first-overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. Some will criticize Zaccharie Risacher for not putting up gaudy numbers, but he played his role to perfection and is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-quin-snyder-external-affirmation-zaccharie-risacher-latest-award">everything the Atlanta Hawks wanted on the wing.</a></p><p>Risacher has arguably been the Hawks’ second-best player next to Trae Young down the stretch run of the season, and he recently recorded a career-high 36 points with five made triples against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 30. Since the start of March, Risacher has shot 38.1 percent from three-point range.</p><p>He should finish second in the voting behind Castle.</p><h2><b>3. Jaylen Wells – Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #2</i></p><p><i>Stats: 79 games, 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 42.5 FG%, 35.2 3P%</i></p><p>It is quite unfortunate that Wells won’t be able to finish the season, especially since he had not missed a game all year. The 21-year-old was not an electric or explosive talent like Castle or Risacher, but he acted as a reliable presence on the wing for Memphis.</p><p>Not to mention, Wells proved that he could guard multiple positions and play at an All-Defensive-type level. Out of all the rookies in the league, Wells made the greatest impact on winning for his team, which is why he finishes top three in the NBA rookie rankings.</p><h2><b>4. Alex Sarr – Washington Wizards</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Wizards-Alex-Sarr-block.jpg"><figcaption>Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #4</i></p><p><i>Stats: 65 games, 13.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 39.7 FG%, 31.1 3P%</i></p><p>Like Risacher, Alex Sarr is subject to criticism because he didn’t put up eye-popping numbers as the second-overall pick. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-alex-sarr-boosts-roy-stock-with-historic-feat-amid-loss-to-76ers">Sarr showed consistent growth</a> over his first year in the league with the Washington Wizards.</p><p>Early on, Sarr was nothing more than a lengthy big man who struggled with his footwork and defensive positioning. Now, Sarr is consistently scoring in double figures, and he looks a lot more comfortable as a help-side rim-protector.</p><p>Since the start of March, Sarr has averaged 16.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game with four double-doubles.</p><h2><b>5. Zach Edey – Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #3</i></p><p><i>Stats: 64 games, 9.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 57.9 FG%, 34.6 3P%</i></p><p>While he has been in and out of the rotation, Zach Edey’s role has increased in the few games since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-gm-breaks-silence-on-shocking-taylor-jenkins-firing">Taylor Jenkins was fired.</a></p><p>The Grizzlies big man has registered five double-digit rebounding games over his last five contests, including a career-high 21 boards on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons. He also recently had 17 points and 19 rebounds against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.</p><p>Edey is not an athletic big man like others on this list, yet he plays his role as a rim-protector and strong rebounder in Memphis.</p><h2><b>6. Kel’el Ware – Miami Heat</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #6</i></p><p><i>Stats: 62 games, 9.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 55.7 FG%, 31.8 3P%</i></p><p>Kel’el Ware has been everything the Miami Heat hoped he would be next to Bam Adebayo. Aside from constantly winning the opening tip so Adebayo doesn’t have to expend energy doing so, Ware gives the Heat another lob threat in pick-and-roll sets next to Tyler Herro.</p><p>In 62 games this season, Ware has recorded 14 double-doubles, tied with Yves Missi for the most out of all the rookies this year.</p><h2><b>7. Donovan Clingan – Portland Trail Blazers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Donovan-Clingan-block.jpg"><figcaption>Soobum Im-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: Unranked</i></p><p><i>Stats: 65 games, 6.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 57.3 FG%, 30.4 3P%</i></p><p>As a result of Donovan Clingan’s play for the Portland Trail Blazers this season, Deandre Ayton has suddenly become expendable in the offseason. The Blazers rookie plays like a multiyear veteran given his understanding of what to do with the ball in the low post. He is also a strong shot-blocker who will get better defending in pick-and-roll situations.</p><p>Clingan has a strong foundation to build off to become a focal point in Portland for years to come. Do not be shocked if Clingan gets votes for the All-Rookie First Team despite not being inside the top five of the NBA rookie rankings.</p><h2><b>8. Yves Missi – New Orleans Pelicans</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #7</i></p><p><i>Stats: 73 games, 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 54.7 FG%</i></p><p>Yves Missi has been one of the only durable players for the New Orleans Pelicans this season as the team constantly deals with injuries. The rookie big man can play alongside other centers due to his athleticism, and he has paved a path for his secondary role in New Orleans moving forward. Missi leads all rookies in total rebounds (601) by a wide margin.</p><h2><b>9. Isaiah Collier – Utah Jazz</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #8</i></p><p><i>Stats: 71 games, 8.7 points, 6.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 42.2 FG%, 24.9 3P%</i></p><p>Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier are going to be a really strong one-two punch in the Utah Jazz’s backcourt. As the Jazz have continued to tank, Collier has made the most of his opportunities, averaging 12.7 points and 6.6 assists per game since the start of March. Despite playing in fewer games, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-utah-rookie-breaks-john-stockton-bonkers-assist-record-hornets-game">Collier leads all rookies in assists</a> this season (446).</p><h2><b>10. Bub Carrington – Washington Wizards</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #9</i></p><p><i>Stats: 80 games, 9.7 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 40.1 FG%, 33.9 3P%</i></p><p>Bub Carrington’s all-around game is exactly what the Washington Wizards were lacking in their backcourt. Not only can he score but Carrington is a very willing passer who always looks to create opportunities for his teammates. Carrington leads all first-year players in minutes and is second in assists behind Collier.</p><p>He is well-deserving of a spot in the NBA rookie rankings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Stephon Castle barely beats out Zaccharie Risacher, Jaylen Wells

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-positive-update-after-scary-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells gets positive update after scary injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaylen-Wells_02ba33.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells gets positive update after scary injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-09T12:28:06-07:00">April 9th, 12:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-09T14:04:16-07:00">April 9th, 2:04pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In the Memphis Grizzlies’ recent game against the Charlotte Hornets, rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-suffers-frightening-injury-scare-vs-hornets">Jaylen Wells suffered a broken right wrist</a> after taking a hard fall. He was taken off the court on a stretcher and was taken to the hospital, where reports noted that he was awake, alert, and moving his extremities.</p><p>Another update has been given since the incident, and Wells seems <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1910041360687657254" rel="noopener">to be doing better</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Great update: Jaylen Wells has been discharged from the hospital after scary fall Tuesday night, agent Aman Dhesi tells ESPN. However, Wells is now sidelined for an extended period of time with a broken wrist after appearing in 79 games and vying for an All-Rookie team selection,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>It sounds like Wells will be sidelined for a while, and <a href="https://x.com/doingitdodson/status/1910044210742305144?t=sDJVEml7UwJqc8u3fKJirw" rel="noopener">there is uncertainty</a> about what the summer will look like for him, according to Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints.</p><p>“When asked about Summer League availability one source simply said ‘Doubtful.’ Long summer of rehab ahead,” Dodson wrote.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-exclusive-jaylen-wells-prepares-nba-rookie-of-the-year-campaign">Wells was an important part of the Grizzlies</a> season this year, and he was in the running for Rookie of the Year at some point with how well he was playing. Memphis will now have to go through the rest of the season without Wells and into the playoffs as well.</p><p>The Grizzlies have been through a lot over the past few weeks with the organization <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-part-ways">parting ways with Taylor Jenkins</a> just a few weeks remaining in the game. They’ve been able to weather the storm and are now on a three-game winning streak looking to get a high seed in the Western Conference. It’s a tight race going down the stretch of the season, but if the Grizzlies can find a way to win out, there’s a good chance they could finish in the top six.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells gets positive update after scary injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-update-scary-injury-hornets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells gets initial update after scary injury vs. Hornets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaylen-Wells_3bc07d.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells gets initial update after scary injury vs. Hornets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-08T19:06:53-07:00">April 8th, 7:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-08T19:38:24-07:00">April 8th, 7:38pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies are battling for playoff seeding in a very tight Western Conference, but they have bigger things to worry about on Tuesday night. Promising rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-suffers-frightening-injury-scare-vs-hornets">Jaylen Wells took a very scary fall</a> during the Grizzlies’ clash against the Charlotte Hornets and landed awkwardly after being undercut by KJ Simpson.</p><p>Wells was down on the floor for a while before being stretchered off. He is <a href="https://x.com/doingitdodson/status/1909781802060751242" rel="noopener">awake and moving</a>, according to Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints.</p><p>“I’m told Jaylen Wells is awake, moving, with family, ‘Probably concussed’ and waiting on X-rays,” Dodson reported on X, formerly Twitter. “Swollen wrist, pain everywhere you’d expect.”</p><p>This is a great sign for Wells after what was a terrifying fall and a hard landing. While it’s encouraging that he is up and moving, the play did not come without injury. Wells <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1909783349104685117" rel="noopener">suffered a broken wright wrist</a>, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Wells has sustained a broken right wrist, [Wells’ agent Aman] Dhesi said, and will continue receiving medical care,” Sharania reported.</p><p>Even after Wells left the game, the Grizzlies were able to continue playing good basketball and come away with a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/lakers-warriors-shift-western-conference-playoff-picture-siegels-scoop">huge win the Western Conference playoff picture</a>. Memphis came out on top 124-100 in Charlotte to improve to 47-32.</p><p>The Grizzlies are trying to stay above the play-in in the West, and they need to continue stacking wins over the last three games of the season in order to do so. This win got Memphis into a tie for fourth in the West with the Denver Nuggets before the two face off on Friday night. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are also right there in the standings, so it will be a tough race over the final week of the regular season.</p><p>Despite <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-firing-spree-continues-after-taylor-jenkins">firing head coach Taylor Jenkins</a>, the Grizzlies seem to have steadied themselves a little bit and are now fighting for one of those playoff spots and possibly home-court in the first round. However, losing Wells is a big blow to that goal.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells gets initial update after scary injury vs. Hornets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-suffers-frightening-injury-scare-vs-hornets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jaylen Wells suffers frightening injury scare vs. Hornets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jaylen-Wells.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jaylen Wells suffers frightening injury scare vs. Hornets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-08T17:52:08-07:00">April 8th, 5:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-08T18:12:13-07:00">April 8th, 6:12pm</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Memphis Grizzlies <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rookie-jaylen-wells-deserves-serious-nba-all-defense-consideration">rookie forward Jaylen Wells</a> left Tuesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets on a stretcher after taking a scary fall following a dunk attempt.</p><p>The play occurred with 1:10 remaining in the second quarter. Wells <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1909761522064048595" rel="noopener">went up for a dunk</a> and was hit from behind by a trailing KJ Simpson. Simpson was issued a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game.</p><p>Wells remained on the ground for several minutes after his fall before medical staff secured his head and neck, and gave him oxygen. Because he was taken to the hospital via ambulance, the game was delayed for more than 20 minutes while another one showed up to the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Both teams were allowed to warm up before the game resumed.</p><p>The Grizzlies led 62-44 at the time of the injury. Wells left the game with three points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal.</p><p>Wells, the 39th overall pick out of Washington State in the second round of last year’s NBA Draft, is having a strong rookie season, averaging 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in 26 minutes. He had started 73 of the 78 games he’s appeared in, establishing himself as one of the league’s premiere young defensive players. If it weren’t for Stephon Castle’s monster rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs, Wells would be a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/nba-rookie-power-rankings-24-25-jaylen-wells-history-not-seen-since-2017">legit candidate for NBA Rookie of the Year</a>.</p><p>Wells entered the league with a reputation as a three-point shooter, knocking down 42% of his attempts with the Cougars. He came to Washington State from Division II Sonoma State, where he was one of the best offensive players in the country at that level. He led his conference in scoring at 22.1 points per game and rebounding with 8.7, en route to being named a Division II All-American.</p><p>The team has not provided an update on his condition as of this writing.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jaylen Wells suffers frightening injury scare vs. Hornets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-rookie-jaylen-wells-must-improve-before-nba-playoffs-begin');   ga('set', 'title', 'What Grizzlies need from rookie Jaylen Wells before NBA Playoffs begin');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Where-Grizzlies-rookie-Jaylen-Wells-must-improve-before-NBA-Playoffs-begin.jpg"></figure><h1>What Grizzlies need from rookie Jaylen Wells before NBA Playoffs begin</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-14T15:58:35-07:00">March 14th, 3:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-14T15:58:35-07:00">March 14th, 3:58pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/why-grizzlies-believe-ja-morant-toughness-enough-to-shake-teamwide-slump">Memphis Grizzlies answered toughness questions</a> after a four-game skid but talent questions remain as the NBA Playoffs picture shapes up. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are locked in on a four-game winning streak now and should see an uptick in on-court time once the elimination stage begins. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/is-jaren-jackson-jr-playing-tonight-grizzlies-cavs-injury-report">Grizzlies are still waiting for Jaren Jackson Jr.</a> (ankle) and Santi Aldama to return, their absences allowing reserves like a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-kevin-durant-challenge-vs-hidden-rookie-awakened-memphis-competitive-spirit">trash-talking Cam Spencer</a> to impress the coaching staff. Jaylen Wells has been called upon more than usual as well, yet it is still not clear how much the rookie can handle in the postseason.</p><p>Taylor Jenkins has been forced to tinker with lineups over the past few weeks as the veterans heal up. However, the situation could have been a blessing in disguise. Sure, Wells will get playing time as a defensive ace in the NBA Playoffs, but how many shots and minutes can be allotted to the former second-round pick? How long can Wells contain All-World stars before fouls become a problem? It seems the Grizzlies and Wells have yet to hit a ceiling, though some rookie wall woes on offense are worth a watch.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-defends-Devin-Booker-Suns.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The shooting accuracy has suffered recently as Wells has taken on more minutes. Extra defensive responsibilities, an increased offensive volume, and the associated cardio demands have been taxing according to the data. However, Jenkins has not been shy about letting Wells learn on the job. Memphis is all smiles when it comes to their second rounder but they are monitoring two key categories. The first thing the Grizzlies need to see from Wells down the stretch is better shooting numbers.</p><ul><li><b>Season:</b> 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists</li><li><b>Last 5:</b> 4.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists</li><li><b>Last 15:</b> 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists</li></ul><p>Postseason opponents will punish any non-shooter on the court. As things stand, Jenkins is likely to go with an eight or nine-man rotation in the NBA Playoffs. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Santi Aldama are the core four. Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke will have to spell Jackson Jr. for stretches. Luke Kennard’s shooting will come in handy off the bench.</p><p>Jaylen Wells being able to handle 30 minutes a night as an offensive threat would help negate the defensive weaknesses of Scotty Pippen Jr., GG Jackson, and Vince Williams. The trio might not even be needed as the 10th man in the rotations. Fortunately, Memphis has a good 19 game sample size showing Wells is better off working longer shifts.</p><ul><li><b>2025 (27.2 mpg):</b> 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists</li><li><b>2024 (25 mpg):</b> 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists</li><li><b>30+ minutes (19 games):</b> 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists</li></ul><p>Offensively, Wells has shown promise but remains a work in progress. Better ball-handling and finishing through contact could make him a more versatile threat, but Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will handle most of the bucket-creating burdens though.</p><p>Wells is already playing at an NBA All-Defense level over 60+ regular season games. The inexperience in high-stakes situations is a concern only cured with a trial by fire seven-game series. Wells must prove he can avoid putting opponents on the line though, not an easy task when guarding All-Stars. Improving his ability to read plays off the ball and maintain positioning will be essential to earning trust from Jenkins in high-pressure moments.</p><p>Luka Doncic has drawn <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1642377/head-to-head?dir=D&amp;sort=SFL" rel="noopener">four shooting fouls in just over four minutes</a> against Wells, for example. Crafty vets like CJ McCollum (119 team points, 27 individual in 19 minutes) have given Wells fits as an on-ball defender. It seems the rookie’s off-ball defense and defensive awareness are not yet advanced enough for prolonged NBA floor time either. Face guarding and ball-denying All-Stars will only work for so long in the NBA Playoffs.</p><p>Jaylen Wells has the lateral quickness, wingspan, and 6-foot-8 frame to be a series-tilting, versatile stopper. NBA Playoffs readiness hinges on two glaring concerns: streaky shooting and foul discipline. The rookie must avoid putting opponents on the line and knock down open shots at an average clip. It’s that simple. Thankfully, the 21-year-old has mostly passed those tests this season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What Grizzlies need from rookie Jaylen Wells before NBA Playoffs begin

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-rookie-jaylen-wells-deserves-serious-nba-all-defense-consideration');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells deserves serious NBA All-Defense consideration');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Why-Grizzlies-rookie-Jaylen-Wells-will-not-get-serious-NBA-All-Defense-consideration.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells deserves serious NBA All-Defense consideration</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-07T17:04:45-08:00">March 7th, 5:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-07T17:04:45-08:00">March 7th, 5:04pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-shooting-woes-exposed-thunder-shai-gilgeous-alexander-nba">Ja Morant-led Memphis Grizzlies are striving for more</a> than individual awards, but the team will surely be doing everything possible to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-all-star-jaren-jackson-jr-earn-all-nba-supermax-leverage-free-agency-nba-market">get Jaren Jackson Jr. $100 million worth of leverage</a> this summer. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old’s All-NBA and NBA Defensive Player of the Year campaign is on pause due to an ankle injury. Thankfully, the Grizzlies believe they have an NBA All-Defense dynamo roaming the perimeter as well in Jaylen Wells. The 22-year-old has been consistently running through NBA All-Star level roadblocks to drum up serious consideration for more than one award as a rookie.</p><p>Jaylen Wells (11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 37.4% 3PA) will be on the NBA All-Rookie First Team or the fans riot in the FedEx Forum. NBA Rookie of the Year votes are expected, but there is competition for that trophy. However, the stats show the rookie is worth a mention in the varsity-level, veteran-laden awards conversations already.</p><p>Pure totals matter over an 82-game season though. Wells has 36 steals (179th) and six blocks (346th) over 62 games (57 starts). Production per game within the given minutes played does not favor Wells either. His steals (0.6 per game) and blocks (0.1 per game) are below average, but field goal percentage against All-Star matchups is a plus. Wells cannot steal a pass or block a shot if his full-court ball press denies his assignment any opportunities at all. So why are we talking Jaylen Wells NBA All-Defense before the first 82-game sample is in again?</p><h2><b>Where NBA voters see value</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jaylen-Wells-Ja-Morant-defense-Grizzlies-.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Wells has a 46.1% Defended Field Goal Percentage. That might not be great on first look, but <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1642377/head-to-head" rel="noopener">factor in the stars shooting</a> and it’s a different picture. The rookie is keeping All-Star in check, making them look merely average often. Wells made history in holding Stephen Curry to the worst offensive output of a Hall of Fame career. Curry finished 0-for-7 and a pitiful two points (Dec. 20). Wells was the primary tracker for Damian Lillard’s four points on 1-12 shooting on Halloween. Anthony Edwards shot just 12-32 combined in January.</p><p>The type of shots faced (9.9 per game) should be factored in as well. Wells is chasing everyone off of the three-point line, facing less than one beyond the arc bomb per quarter (3.6). Most opponents are forced to pull up from beyond 15 feet though (4.9) and with only a 34.1% swish rate.</p><p>Edwards has 13 points (33.3% FGA) in 19 minutes against Wells. Deven Booker has four points (12.5% FGA) in just under 18 minutes versus the rookie. Chris Paul has two points, six assists, and three turnovers over 16:50 in action. Follow-up dates with Booker, Darius Garland, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic are coming up soon.</p><p>Taylor Jenkins could help matters by giving Wells (26.1) more on-court time per game. Show that trust. Being seen stuck to All-Stars all night is one way to get noticed, for better or worse. At least give the rookie a chance to sink or swim. No more safety vests in the weeks before the NBA Playoffs. It’s time to find out just how much foul trouble Wells can avoid over 35-40 minutes. John Konchar and Vince Williams will understand.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies, Jaylen Wells working overtime</b></h2><p>Fans should prepare for disappointment after Wells receives little to no votes? Rudy Gobert has won four of the last seven NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards. While not quite at those former peaks individually, anchoring the Minnesota Timberwolves into a top-four seed with a top-five team defensive rating is a strong standalone argument. Jaren Jackson Jr., NBA DPOY in 2022-23, will be the Grizzlies’ All-Defense representative. Other Defensive Player of the Year winners are warming up their spots in the team as well, leaving little room for the rookie.</p><p>The Grizzlies traded Marcus Smart, 2021-22’s winner, after an injury-riddled stint in Memphis, and he is in no danger of being nominated for anything after another season on the sidelines. However, Draymond Green (2016-17) is having a late career resurgence now that Jimmy Butler is buddied up with Stephen Curry. Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20) has brought the Milwaukee Bucks back from the dead after a 2-8 start to the season.</p><p>The NBA All-Defense Team’s frontcourt is practically set. Alperen Sengun, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Evan Mobley will appear in some order. Rudy Gobert may push Antetokounmpo into one of the wing positions. Lu Dort and Jalen Williams will split votes but no one will be surprised to see the first two on an All-Defense Team. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may appear on some ballots, but All-World wonder is arguably worse than teammate Alex Caruso.</p><p>Dyson Daniels and Jrue Holiday are making cases as well. However, voters could go big-heavy. It’s not an equitable way to dole out the honor in a way that respects the entirety of the game, but unfortunately that’s the trend. With the ‘positionless’ selection rules in place, Ivica Zubac and Domantas Sabonis could sneak in as well. Amen Thompson is fighting with Jaylen Wells, yet also pushed out on the fringes as thanks for handling the hardest perimeter assignments.</p><p>When the Grizzlies drafted Jaylen Wells, they knew they were getting a tenacious competitor. No one could have anticipated the 6-foot-8 wingman emerging as one of the NBA’s most impactful defenders so quickly. Voters will be watching how each closes out the season. There are still enough games remaining for both young guards to gain ground as the big men lose steam.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells deserves serious NBA All-Defense consideration

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-stealing-offensive-moves-every-defensive-possession');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Taylor Jenkins shares eye-opening take on Jaylen Wells’ two-way impact');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/How-Grizzlies-Jaylen-Wells-steals-offensive-moves-on-every-defensive-possession.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Taylor Jenkins shares eye-opening take on Jaylen Wells’ two-way impact</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-28T21:08:02-08:00">January 28th, 9:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-28T21:08:02-08:00">January 28th, 9:08pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>First-year employees must fight for recognition in any sport or industry. Thankfully for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-accepting-no-excuses-nba-trade-deadline">accept-no-excuses Memphis Grizzlies</a>, Jaylen Wells is carving out his niche with his defensive tenacity and an emerging offensive flair. While dynamic defense has been his calling card, the second-round pick’s offensive game is showing signs of significant growth, <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1883188998681882968" rel="noopener">influenced by the very All-Stars being defended.</a></p><p>Wells had to laugh when asked by ClutchPoints about a snake dribble through the lane and floater that mimicked CJ McCollum.</p><p>“I was actually thinking about how yeah, just guarding those moves I just kind of naturally started to do more of them,” Wells admitted. “Being able to guard the best player every night has been helpful for my offensive game, especially when we go back in film and watch it. Just seeing how guys are moving, I’m definitely (stealing offensive moves).”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jaylen Wells on learning nuances and stealing moves from the defensive covers: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrindCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GrindCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/g9eYlLbI0j">pic.twitter.com/g9eYlLbI0j</a></p><p>— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1883188998681882968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Jenkins has been effusive in his praise for Wells, particularly highlighting the rookie’s resilience against some of the league’s top scorers.</p><p>“I’ve said it before about Jaylen Wells, he does not get deterred. I mean he is going against some of the best offensive scorers night in and night out. They can score in many different ways and (Wells) is having a lot of success (on defense),” Jenkins boasted. “(Wells) is not getting deterred and just playing within himself on the offensive side in our system.”</p><p>“(Wells) has got some creativity that I’ve been seeing like some of the plays you are talking about,” added Jenkins. “His dribble game and finding angles when defenders cut him off. It might be an outlet pass or how he is still able to get a finish opportunity. He is playing on balance and it’s impressive to watch this early in his career.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-guards-Jalen-Brunson-Knicks.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Grizzlies are giving Jaylen Wells the toughest defensive assignments but also the freedom to freelance when necessary. The 21-year-old usually just sticks with the full-court denial blueprint that has worked so far. Face-guarding NBA All-Stars is one way to have the offensive nuances rub off on the rookie.</p><p>“I enjoy (face-guarding all game). I look forward to it now. (CJ McCollum) asked me in the middle of the game if I do it every night. Had to tell him, ‘Yup, yup.’ It’s fun for me,” Wells admitted. “I haven’t tried (asking for a defensive assignment switch) yet. They’ve started giving me freedom on ball screens, saying to just figure it out. So I’ve got freedom there.”</p><p>This light-hearted approach to the game, combined with a serious commitment to improvement, reinforced the front office’s bet that Wells is a very promising player. It is also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-exclusive-jaylen-wells-prepares-nba-rookie-of-the-year-campaign">why Jaylen Wells is also a Grizzlies fan favorite</a>. His journey from a rookie learning the ropes to stealing moves from some of the league’s best is a narrative of growth, resilience, and the joy of basketball. Jenkins and the Grizzlies just have to let the young man continue to learn against the best.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Taylor Jenkins shares eye-opening take on Jaylen Wells’ two-way impact

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-exclusive-jaylen-wells-prepares-nba-rookie-of-the-year-campaign');   ga('set', 'title', 'Exclusive: How Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells preps for battle amid Rookie of the Year campaign');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Exclusive-How-Jaylen-Wells-prepares-for-battle-amid-Rookie-of-the-Year-campaign.jpg"></figure><h1>Exclusive: How Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells preps for battle amid Rookie of the Year campaign</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-27T12:25:57-08:00">January 27th, 12:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-27T12:25:57-08:00">January 27th, 12:25pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Exclusive</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Welcome to the NBA moments are usually rough on rookies. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-bothered-disappointed-after-beating-lamelo-ball-hornets">not-quite-dialed-in Memphis Grizzlies</a> have an exception to that unwritten rule though. It took less than 40 games for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-everythnig-taylor-jenkins-loves-about-jaylen-wells-display-lamelo-ball-hornets">Grizzlies to find out Jaylen Wells can get emotional</a>, in a good way, while waging war with NBA All-Stars. Veterans on opposing teams are shooing the rookie away out of respect while trying to shake free. They have not been successful and it’s not much of a secret why. It was obvious as ClutchPoints walked through a routine day with Wells before a 125-103 win over the Utah Jazz.</p><p>Fans in the FedEx Forum can rest assured as one trait has stood out going back to NBA Summer League: Jaylen Wells wakes up thinking about how to best put a rubber band around the next opponent’s best player. Being able to bend but never break starts early and there is only one way to reasonably expect championship results. Do the work early and often.</p><p>“I like to stretch every morning. That’s one of the things I do that is constant,” Wells shared. “The main thing is in the morning and before bed I always stretch, do my yoga routine.”</p><p>Forget the cartoons and cereal boxes littered through most college dorms. No one holds hands in the pros and rookie checks only go so far. An all-business Wells is one of the first in the gym when the Grizzlies play home games and takes few if any detours. The in-house chefs have a better spread of options and it’s more nutritionally sound than a stop at McDonald’s or the Waffle House.</p><p>“I always take advantage of the meals (at the facility),” Wells laughed. “I’m grabbing breakfast from here.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-yoga-pose-Taylor-Jenkins.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Individual skill work, film study, and more stretching follow. Lunch boxes start appearing, and disappearing, as others file in for treatment. Pregame shootarounds sessions depend on tip-off times. Travel days are tough on the schedule but once in the gym, some parts of the routine are non-negotiable.</p><p>Warriors of all cultures throughout history have come together before battle. Everyone’s ‘lock-in’ looks different and it’s not wise to get in the way of that process. Jaylen Wells gets the shots up early on game days. Some pregame banter with the other early group guys (Scotty Pippen Jr., Jake LaRavia, Jay Huff) helps take the edge off a bit. There is an argument about the best NCAA basketball conference before facing the Jazz, for example.</p><p>No matter what is going on, Wells is going to wander off about an hour before the game starts though. It’s time for Chapel.</p><p>“I think it’s a good moment to just get into The Word,” Wells shared. “That is something that I’ve been trying to do more recently is be connected more with God. I feel like I haven’t been as connected to Him as I should have been in the past so that’s something I’m kind of working on.”</p><p>Faith and confidence go hand-in-hand for Wells. The head has to be right before the body will listen.</p><p>“It’s good to get 10 to 15 minutes before every game, about an hour before the game,” Wells added. “It’s kind of a calm before the storm type of feel.”</p><p>This was a quick conversation concerning no sect nor denomination, just the Spirit. Then it was time to clear out of the way and back to the press box. Wells and some other players would be back soon for a snack. Then the Grizzlies would be fueling the pregame energy with some music before Taylor Jenkins gives the pregame speech.</p><p>We did get a chance to talk about how hoops can bring people and cultures together then the chat ended with something new to Wells: The Sportsman’s Prayer.</p><p><i>To the Almighty Commissioner above we pray that </i><i>when Your great Scorekeeper comes to mark against our names – have mercy in judging not on whether we won or lost but on how we played The Game.</i></p><p>The <a href="https://artemaltman.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/04/alumnus-football/" rel="noopener">prayer is repurposed prose</a> from Grantland Rice’s “Alumnus Football” but surely the great scribe will not mind. Wells smiled, took it for what it was to him, and was soon bounding through the locker room’s rear hallway. About two hours later the Grizzlies had another win. The 21-year-old had another argument for not only some NBA Rookie of the Year love but also NBA All-Defense Team consideration.</p><p>Wells has played The Game well and has been everything the Grizzlies hoped for plus a few buckets. He finished with 16 points (5-8 FGA, 2-4 3PA), four rebounds, and just a single personal foul committed in the win over Utah. The defensive dynamo was arguably more impressive on the other end of the floor. Lauri Markkanen needed 14 shots to score 11 points (5-14 FGA, 1-8 3PA) with Wells as the main defensive cover.</p><p>Getting the best of an NBA All-Star who barely knows a rookie’s name is one thing. Keeping household names in check on a nightly basis gets noticed.</p><p>For Jaylen Wells, well, it’s almost becoming routine.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Exclusive: How Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells preps for battle amid Rookie of the Year campaign

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-everythnig-taylor-jenkins-loves-about-jaylen-wells-display-lamelo-ball-hornets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies love how ’emotional’ Jaylen Wells went after LeMelo Ball');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/What-Grizzlies-love-about-Jaylen-Wells-on-display-vs.-LaMelo-Balls-Hornets.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies love how ’emotional’ Jaylen Wells went after LeMelo Ball</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-23T15:08:51-08:00">January 23rd, 3:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-23T15:56:15-08:00">January 23rd, 3:56pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Some nights can highlight both the highs and lows of life in the NBA. Rookie Jaylen Wells can attest to that after trying to corral LaMelo Ball’s Charlotte Hornets. Ball might have scored 22 points but it took 20 shows and a few unearned free throws as far as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-bothered-disappointed-after-beating-lamelo-ball-hornets">Ja Morant’s grumbling Memphis Grizzlies</a> are concerned. Taylor Jenkins was not worried about the fouls or Ball’s stats though. The entire arena fed off of the defensive dynamo’s passion in the 132-120 win.</p><p>Fans in the FedEx Forum got loud in showing their appreciation for the effort while hounding the refs. Wells even got a little “emotional” while guarding Ball due to some confusing foul calls by the officials. Still, Jenkins appreciated how the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-revelations-podcast-jaren-jackson-jr-desmond-bane-ja-morant">Grizzlies rookie known as J-Murda</a> in the locker room <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhPQk2HY9t4" rel="noopener">rebounded from a rough start</a>.</p><p>“I love his poise and demeanor. Naturally going to get emotional at times when you’re trying to figure out why something is being called or not called,” Jenkins admitted. “It’s a learning process for (Wells). It’s tough with what offensive players can get away with on certain nights but I love his poise and determination to stay with it. Unfortunately, he got some fouls called but it did not deter him from going out there and trying to execute the game plan. That’s what I love about the kid.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-vs-LaMelo-Ball-Hornets.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jaylen Wells does not linger on the last play. Asking questions is best left for film study. Getting back into the fight and figuring out what works at the moment is a big part of the development plan. The Grizzlies have gotten the best out of Wells by, well, staying out of J-Murda’s way. The 21-year-old has been up to the challenge of slowing down All-Stars at every turn after all and the offense is coming around.</p><p>Guardrails sometimes limit growth and this war with Ball was more mental than physical. Only live-fire reps can prepare a player for what is to come in the postseason.</p><p>“(Wells) is not searching for answers when something is not going his way like what the heck happened,” Jenkins shared. “He is just locking in on the next play. I thought he was playing some really good defense on (LaMelo Ball).”</p><p>Next up for Wells is another battle with CJ McCollum, perhaps the only veteran who has gotten the best of the rookie this season. McCollum has scored 62 points in two meetings between the New Orleans Pelicans and Grizzlies already. Ball is an All-Star who barely broke 20 and needed help. Wells will look forward to keeping the 33-year-old under 30 points for once.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies love how ’emotional’ Jaylen Wells went after LeMelo Ball

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rookie-power-rankings-24-25-jaylen-wells-history-not-seen-since-2017');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Jaylen Wells could make history not seen since 2017');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-could-make-history-not-seen-since-2017.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Jaylen Wells could make history not seen since 2017</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-15T08:59:43-08:00">January 15th, 8:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-15T09:00:24-08:00">January 15th, 9:00am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The 2024-25 NBA season has seen underwhelming rookie play compared to previous seasons when Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero ran away with the Rookie of the Year award. Still, plenty of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rookie-power-rankings-24-25-jared-mccain-headlines-wide-open-race">first-year talents have made a difference for their teams</a>, especially Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain. Unfortunately, with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/76ers-tough-jared-mccain-announcement-rookies-injury">McCain’s season ending due to knee surgery</a>, the spotlight of the NBA rookie rankings is now being cast on Memphis Grizzlies swingman Jaylen Wells.</p><p>After being overlooked in the 2024 NBA Draft, Wells was selected 39th overall by the Grizzlies. Although many second-round picks don’t enter the league and play right away, the opposite has occurred for Wells due to injuries compounding early on for Memphis.</p><p>As a three-and-D wing, the Grizzlies rookie rapidly exceeded expectations and has started in 35 of his 40 games to this point.</p><p>If he keeps this up, it’s possible that Wells could become the first player selected in the second round to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award since <a href="https://www.nba.com/bucks/malcolm-brogdon-wins-nba-rookie-year" rel="noopener">Malcolm Brogdon did so with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2017</a>.</p><p>The Grizzlies rookie is making an impact on what has turned out to be one of the best teams in the league this season, which is why he is right at the top of the NBA rookie rankings.</p><h2><b>1. Jaylen Wells – Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Grizzlies-Jaylen-Wells.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #4</i></p><p><i>Stats: 40 games, 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 43.8 FG%, 37.8 3P%</i></p><p>Wells is currently tied for the most games played by any rookie this season, and he is second behind only Zaccharie Risacher for the most starts by a first-year player. He is also tied with Alex Sarr for the scoring lead among all rookies, not counting McCain due to his season-ending injury.</p><p>The Grizzlies needed some sort of spark with Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, and Desmond Bane being injured early on in the year, and they found it through Wells’ ability to be a real force from the perimeter. Wells has made 76 triples this season, which is by far the most out of any other rookie around the NBA.</p><p>As far as a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-jaylen-wells-defensive-assignment-stephen-curry-james-harden-nba-all-defense-team-effort">rookie making the greatest impact and winning games</a> with his team, Wells ranks at the very top of the NBA rookie rankings.</p><h2><b>2. Alex Sarr – Washington Wizards</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #7</i></p><p><i>Stats: 34 games, 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 40.6 FG%, 32.5 3P%</i></p><p>Out of all the rookies in the NBA, Alex Sarr is in the best possible position to win the Rookie of the Year award simply because he is going to see plenty of minutes the rest of the year. With the Washington Wizards rebuilding, Sarr has emerged as one of their focal points in the frontcourt, and he is consistently playing close to 30 minutes per game. Entering the second half of the year, Sarr’s role will only keep increasing if he remains healthy.</p><p>Defensively, Sarr is really making his presence felt as a true rim protector. He is one of 13 players across the entire league to have recorded at least 50 blocks to this point in the season. The Wizards’ rookie is currently tied for the league lead in scoring among all rookies with Wells.</p><h2><b>3. Yves Missi – New Orleans Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pelicans-Yves-Missi.jpg"><figcaption>Brett Davis-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #5</i></p><p><i>Stats: 40 games, 9.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 55.9 FG%</i></p><p>Perhaps the most underrated rookie this season has been Yves Missi. Although the New Orleans Pelicans are nothing to brag about, Missi has consistently been a double-double threat for them at the center position. What makes him a special prospect moving forward is the fact that Missi can protect the rim with force.</p><p>Missi currently leads all rookies in rebounding, field goal percentage (min. 200 shot attempts), and blocks.</p><h2><b>4. Stephon Castle – San Antonio Spurs</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #2</i></p><p><i>Stats: 37 games, 11.0 points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 39.3 FG%, 25.4 3P%</i></p><p>Stephon Castle is the future of the San Antonio Spurs’ backcourt. The rookie guard continues to learn a lot behind Chris Paul, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/stephon-castle-using-versatility-as-building-block-for-rookie-growth">we have seen clear growth from Castle</a> since the start of the season.</p><p>While his shooting percentages are still pretty low, Castle is seeing a consistent role as a secondary playmaker and scorer off the bench in San Antonio. He currently ranks third and fourth in field goals attempted and made, respectively.</p><h2><b>5. Zaccharie Risacher – Atlanta Hawks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Hawks-Zaccharie-Risacher-1.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #3</i></p><p><i>Stats: 39 games, 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 40.2 FG%, 28.1 3P%</i></p><p>The 2024 first-overall pick has continued to make a difference for the Atlanta Hawks. Zaccharie Risacher has started on the wing in 37 of the 39 games he’s played, and he’s helped the Hawks look like a team that will be in the playoffs. However, his three-point shooting percentage has dipped recently, as Risacher is shooting just 22.2 percent from distance since the start of 2025.</p><p>If he can develop into a consistent shooting threat, Risacher will help unlock the full potential of Atlanta’s offensive attack with Trae Young and Jalen Johnson leading the way.</p><h2><b>6. Zach Edey – Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: #9</i></p><p><i>Stats: 26 games, 9.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 58.2 FG%, 39.3 3P%</i></p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-zach-edey-injury-update-lakers-clash">Zach Edey missed nearly a month’s worth of action</a> from the middle of November until right before the holiday season in December due to an ankle injury. Since returning to the Memphis Grizzlies’ lineup, Edey has been a legitimate double-double threat.</p><p>However, the Grizzlies have cut the rookie’s minutes in recent games, resulting in him only averaging 5.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game over his last six contests. He is still in the mix to rise into the top 5 of the NBA rookie rankings.</p><h2><b>7. Tristan da Silva – Orlando Magic</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Magics-Tristan-da-Silva.jpg"><figcaption>Mike Watters-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #8</i></p><p><i>Stats: 37 games, 8.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 41.9 FG%, 31.5 3P%</i></p><p>Due to injury concerns for the Orlando Magic, Tristan da Silva has seen a bigger role than imagined. When the Magic selected da Silva, they imagined a lengthy wing who could do a little bit of everything for them off the bench. That is exactly what the rookie has done, and he’s even managed to showcase his offensive prowess in the absences of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs.</p><p>Recently against the Milwaukee Bucks, da Silva recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while playing a career-high 40 minutes.</p><h2><b>8. Ryan Dunn – Phoenix Suns</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: Unranked</i></p><p><i>Stats: 35 games, 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 45.5 FG%, 31.5 3P%</i></p><p>Mike Budenholzer recently made a change to his starting lineup, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-mike-budenholzer-reveals-reasons-bradley-beal-jusuf-nurkic-benching">inserting Ryan Dunn on the wing in place of All-Star Bradley Beal.</a> Over his last seven games since this decision was announced, Dunn has averaged 10.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor and 36.0 percent from three-point range.</p><p>Dunn has a chance to really make a positive impact in Phoenix for many years to come because of his two-way play on the wing.</p><h2><b>9. Dalton Knecht – Los Angeles Lakers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Lakers-Dalton-Knecht-1.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous rank: #6</i></p><p><i>Stats: 37 games, 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 46.1 FG%, 34.7 3P%</i></p><p>Early on this season, it seemed like Dalton Knecht was going to be in the running for Rookie of the Year. After seeing over 25 minutes every single night, Knecht has fallen in JJ Redick’s nightly rotations and is only averaging 15.8 minutes per game in 2025.</p><p>A lot of this has to do with Knecht’s elongated shooting slump, as he has shot just 12-for-63 (19.0%) from three-point range since the start of December. Finding Knecht’s confidence will be key for the Lakers entering the back half of the season.</p><h2><b>10. Carlton Carrington – Washington Wizards</b></h2><p><i>Previous rank: Unranked</i></p><p><i>Stats: 38 games, 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 40.3 FG%, 34.1 3P%</i></p><p>Much like how Sarr continues to develop and see minutes, the Wizards are focusing on developing Carlton Carrington in their backcourt. Carrington is consistently seeing about 30 minutes per game as of late, and he currently leads all rookies in minutes played. The Wizards guard also leads all rookies in assists while ranking second in threes made and attempted.</p><p>There is plenty of opportunity for Carrington to become the focal point for Washington’s offense and rise in the NBA rookie rankings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Jaylen Wells could make history not seen since 2017

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-off-limits-jimmy-butler-cj-mccollum-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Why-Grizzlies-Jaylen-Wells-will-be-off-limits-in-potential-Jimmy-Butler-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-04T10:59:29-08:00">January 4th, 10:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-04T10:59:29-08:00">January 4th, 10:59am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Everyone loves a Cinderella story, especially when they play for your hometown team. Thankfully for Fedex Forum fans, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-not-getting-early-nba-all-star-voting-respect">Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s disrespected Memphis Grizzlies</a> have a storybook rookie season unfolding this season. Jaylen Wells might even be worth mentioning with Morant and Jackson Jr. as off-limits assets through the NBA Trade Deadline. Even stars like Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum do not raise the Grizzlies’ ceiling enough if it means losing Wells.</p><p>Jimmy Butler will reportedly never suit up for the Miami Heat again. Both <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/will-heat-move-jimmy-butler-latest-nba-trade-deadline-intel-siegels-scoop">CJ McCollum and the Pelicans need fresh starts.</a> Taylor Jenkins may like more firepower as Ja Morant (shoulder) battles injury woes but the front office has to be more worried about the long-term viability of such a move.</p><p>Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are the championship core. Everything else is just window dressing in a way but the franchise has a contingency plan in rookies Wells and Zach Edey. Any newcomer is going to have to step back from their usual mode of operation and make a substantial adjustment.</p><p>Looking at how Wells, Butler, and McCollum <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PerMode=Per100Possessions&amp;TeamID=1610612763&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=GP" rel="noopener">stack up in their current situations</a> suggests neither veteran would make much of a difference. The money crunch on PoBo/GM Zach Kleiman would be quite significant, however.</p><ul><li><b>Jaylen Wells </b>(4 years, $7.9 million – Grizzlies hold options/rights)</li><li><b>Jimmy Butler </b>($48 million in 2024-25, $52 million Player Option)</li><li><b>CJ McCollum </b>($33.3 million in 2024-25, $30 million 2025-26)</li></ul><p>Sure, Butler and McCollum add a bit more scoring but they would also take the ball away from Morant, Jackson Jr., and Bane. Yes, Butler and McCollum would be useful and short-term upgrades over Wells for the next 50 games. Memphis would have very few bench options in case of emergency. Matching salaries would be difficult without also including Marcus Smart along with other rotational pieces like Sanit Aldama and Jake LaRavia.</p><p>There are several ways to upgrade the current roster without parting ways with Wells. The Grizzlies just have to be patient. Butler and McCollum might not even be the best options available over the next year. The Pelicans are also dealing with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson situations for example.</p><p>Teams that fall short of the NBA Finals will also be looking to restructure. A move now that means losing Wells as an asset is too risky to even consider. Getting greedy by trying to cash in on a surprising Wells now would not only be shortsighted but also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-memphis-grumble-wild-jaren-jackson-jr-stat-loss-sacramento-kings">out of character for the Grizzlies.</a></p><h2><b>Grizzlies cannot get greedy</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-slips-defense.jpg"><figcaption>Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The long-term strategy cannot be sacrificed for short-term gains. Memphis has more than a handful of first- and second-round picks to work with over the next few seasons. Will any one of those selections wind up being better than Jaylen Wells? That’s doubtful. Wells might be better than Butler and McCollum after another 100 NBA games.</p><p>Opportunity costs matter. Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum are declining assets. Memphis has operated as a smart small market team on the rise. Unless the front office is absolutely sure that everything will work out, which it can’t be, Wells has to be off the table for any over-30 veteran. The risk is too great for a reward that limits the team’s future, hamstrings the salary cap, and puts a lid on their current potential.</p><p>Trading Wells and other assets for an aging star has more potential to backfire than end with an NBA Finals run. The Oklahoma City Thunder fleeced the Los Angeles Clippers and got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the process. Wells might not make an All-NBA team, but the All-Star potential is clear.</p><p>It’s a straightforward game plan for the Grizzlies. Keep the second-rounder around for as long as possible on a team-friendly deal and shop elsewhere if needed. Wait out the market, especially considering Butler’s suspension and exile from the Miami Heat. Butler and McCollum will not be the only options available before Jaren Jackson Jr.’s next contract extension kicks in.</p><p>Wells might be the best option regardless of service time or draft position though. That should make the 21-year-old near untouchable going into the NBA Trade Deadline.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-jaylen-wells-defensive-assignment-stephen-curry-james-harden-nba-all-defense-team-effort');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells’ ‘relentless’ effort puts him on All-Defense radar');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Grizzlies-news-Why-Jaylen-Wells-relentless-effort-puts-him-on-All-Defense-watch.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells’ ‘relentless’ effort puts him on All-Defense radar</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-25T11:48:09-08:00">December 25th, 11:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-25T11:48:09-08:00">December 25th, 11:48am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Defense often takes a backseat to flashy offensive plays but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-credits-captivating-ja-morant-amid-personal-growth">Ja Morant’s captivating Memphis Grizzlies</a> have a rookie giving every All-Star a headache. Jaylen Wells has been a quick fan favorite thanks to some relentless effort on the less glamorous side of the hardwood. Taylor Jenkins has every reason to trust the second-rounder consistently corralling Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Dejounte Murray (New Orleans Pelicans), and Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics).</p><p>Wells deserves to be on the future NBA All-Defense watchlist judging solely on the season’s first 10 weeks. Forget the rookie label on the nomination. The 21-year-old’s impact, particularly after a standout performance against Curry, is getting noticed by those paying attention. Jenkins gave ClutchPoints a <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1869953638308684032" rel="noopener">detailed report card</a> on Wells after a big Grizzlies (20-10) win over the Warriors (15-13).</p><p>“Jaylen has been consistent on that side of the floor,” Jenkins said. “He has been relentless in his effort. He has been dialed in on his gameplan execution in learning player tendencies and what he has to do on a game-to-game basis.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Taylor Jenkins on how the Grizzlies will approach the next few days, and what went into that decision to full court press in the first half even with a lead.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrindCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GrindCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/ueLsbZfZoP">pic.twitter.com/ueLsbZfZoP</a></p><p>— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1869953638308684032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“We talked the other day (about) whatever is happening on the offensive side. I’ve got a lot of faith in (Wells) with how he moves and shoots. He is improving how he is handling playmaking opportunities but it’s all about the defense,” continued Jenkins. “For him to go out and set a tone on Curry, who is one of the toughest covers in the history of the NBA, was great. He is going to be tested again night after night when he gets those assignments. Whoever we are playing, it’s a great challenge for him.”</p><p>Curry managed 2 points (0-7 FGA) against the Grizzlies on December 19. James Harden went 6-of-16 from the field in Memphis two days before Christmas. Wells helped <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-speak-new-minute-allocations-taylor-jenkins-zach-edey">Ja Morant’s minutes-crunched Grizzlies</a> notch a historic road win over the Boston Celtics on December 7. Derrick White and Brown combined for eight turnovers and it’s been more than a month of mayhem from the rookie.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies got Jaylen Wells locked in early </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-James-Harden-Clippers.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jaylen Wells won the NBA’s first Rookie of the Month award despite not having eye-popping steals (14) or blocks (5) totals this season. Still, he is <a href="https://x.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1871636201855492192" rel="noopener">seventh in drives stopped</a> and fourth in Defensive Win Shares right behind Zach Edey. Wells does not need to do as much point-of-attack defending given how All-Stars are denied the opportunity to even touch the ball.</p><p>“In my time in the NBA, (Wells) definitely stands out as one who has really excelled. It’s a rookie campaign, he is having his learning moments for sure, but I attribute a lot of his success to his commitment to that side of the floor,” Jenkins shared. “It’s his identification with that side of the floor.”</p><p>Everyone knows the importance of playing defense, especially for long shots to make the squad. No one with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-great-value-trio-nba-sixth-man-of-the-year-candidates-jake-laravia-scotty-pippen-jr-santi-aldama">Grizzlies saw this level of elite play coming</a> so soon. Wells was not looking for it either though. He was just a head down and keep working type since Summer League and through training camp.</p><p>“Coming in as a rookie, (Wells) had no grand expectations for himself other than getting in the rotation and making an impact,” Jenkins explained. “He and I talked about how defense was going to be a big thing. Coaches say that all the time but I think he has been locked in with the amount of film he watches and the tutelage he gets from his teammates.”</p><p>“Conversation I’ve had with (Wells), even with winning NBA Rookie of the Month, everything steers back to wanting to lock in and getting these (defensive) assignments,” added Jenkins. “He just has a feel for engagement on that side of the floor. I love the impact he is making on the offensive side and the growth areas there. But when you’ve got a rookie that can come in, (play defense), and still be a two-way impact player that is pretty impressive.”</p><p>Voters for the NBA All-Defense teams should be taking notice sooner rather than later. There is not much else Wells can do to get on that award radar.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.4	3.4	1.7	0.1	0.6

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.4	3.4	1.7	0.1	0.6

Jaylen Wells news

Jaylen
Wells news