<!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-should-consider-domantas-sabonis-zach-edey-mentor');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Grizzlies can add Domantas Sabonis as Zach Edey’s mentor');   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/2025/06/Why-Grizzlies-should-consider-Domantas-Sabonis-as-Zach-Edeys-mentor-1.jpg"></figure><h1>How Grizzlies can add Domantas Sabonis as Zach Edey’s mentor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-19T13:07:47-07:00">June 19th, 1:07pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-19T13:07:47-07:00">June 19th, 1:07pm</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>EVP/GM Zach Kleiman did not mince words when it came to this team’s readiness to complete and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-ja-morant-shares-tough-reaction-desmond-bane-trade">Memphis Grizzlies have made some bold moves</a> to kickstart the offseason. This makes the second consecutive summer the front office has taken an against-the-grain swing at solidifying the future. Standing at 7-foot-4 with a dominant college resume, 2024 NBA Draft pick <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/how-grizzlies-survive-without-zach-edey-injury-surgery-until-next-march-madness">Zach Edey has the potential to be a franchise cornerstone next to Ja Morant</a>. Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis would be a great mentor, but the cost this summer is probably too steep.</p><p>Being stuck in a holding pattern until August 15 is the first obvious hurdle. Unfortunately, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($21.6m) and Cole Anthony ($13.1m) cannot be aggregated in a trade until then. A deal for Sabonis ($43.6m) would have to include Jaren Jackson Jr. beforehand. That is very unlikely; the NBA’s market mayhem will provide too much urgency to complete other negotiations. Still, the idea is worth a Summer League executive chat.</p><h2><b>Zach Edey, Grizzlies going big</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Why-Grizzlies-should-consider-Domantas-Sabonis-as-Zach-Edeys-mentor.jpg"><figcaption>Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The NBA has shifted toward smaller, faster wing-based lineups, but Domantas Sabonis has proven <a href="https://www.nba.com/player/1627734/domantas-sabonis" rel="noopener">traditional bigs can still dominate</a> with the right approach. Zach Edey’s size, strength, and interior presence offer the Grizzlies a unique weapon for the rest of the decade under the right circumstances. However, Kleiman had to know the Canadian’s transition to the NBA would require careful development to maximize his potential.</p><p>While neither Sabonis nor Edey are elite athletes by NBA standards, the 29-year-old has thrived by leveraging his basketball IQ, footwork, and positioning. Edey could benefit immensely from studying how Sabonos navigates defensive coverages, uses pump fakes, and creates angles to score efficiently without relying on explosiveness. For example, Sabonis excels at using his body to seal defenders, creating easy scoring opportunities.</p><p>Edey needs to learn how to leverage his size similarly while adding subtle soft touch skills around the rim. Additionally, Sabonis is respectable when defending in space. Though not elite by any means and never comfortable against upper-echelon ballhandlers, Sabonis is a decent example of how an intelligent big man can survive in pick-and-roll-heavy schemes.</p><p>Sabonis is arguably a better-suited mentor than non-shooters relegated to the dunker’s spot like Jarrett Allen or Nic Claxton as well. While Edey dominated college basketball with sheer size and touch around the rim, Sabonis has mastered the art of playmaking from the high post. Learning how to facilitate from the elbow or short roll would make Edey a more versatile offensive threat with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.</p><p>Then there is the professionalism both on and off the court. Sabonis is a leader for the Kings, fostering team chemistry and handling media scrutiny with poise. He has gracefully dealt with De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine since being traded to Sacramento. For Edey, who will face intense scrutiny after being clocked at 100+ miles per hour in a Kia Sorrento, learning how to carry himself as a professional confidently will ease the transition amid increased expectations.</p><h2><b>No ransom for Kings</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kings-Big-3.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Domantas Sabonis has an albatross of a contract suppressing his value in the current market. The Kings signed up for $42.3 million next season, $45.4 million in 2026-27, and a $48.6 million cap hit when Sabonis is 32 years old. It’s a tough sell in a buyer’s market, especially while Kevin Durant is still available.</p><p>The Grizzlies would be paying for the 11th-most-expensive big, but Tuomas Iisalo may not have that sort of showcase role available. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-ja-morant-makes-guarantee-after-calling-cap-on-stephen-a-smith">Sources stress that Ja Morant will be the centerpiece</a>. Jaren Jackson Jr. is an All-NBA talent with plenty of political capital built up within the organization and fanbase. The Kings will have to understand the lowball offers if they get stuck trying to shop Sabonis in September. This framework represents a market ceiling.</p><ul><li><b>Grizzlies receive:</b></li><li><b>Kings receive:</b></li></ul><p>Selecting Purdue’s towering center was seen as a gamble by many, yet the All-Rookie big man returned even-money dividends when healthy. Zach Edey averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and an assist on 58% shooting (34.6% 3PA). However, his gradual transition to the NBA game is still a work in progress. The league’s speed, spacing, and defensive schemes will continue to present challenges for traditional All-Star caliber big men. The Grizzlies must understand that when shopping for a mentor.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Grizzlies can add Domantas Sabonis as Zach Edey’s mentor

<!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-zach-edey-charged-101-mph-reckless-driving');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Zach Edey charged with 101 mph reckless driving');   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/2025/06/Zach-Edey-of-the-Memphis-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Zach Edey charged with 101 mph reckless driving</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-18T16:58:38-07:00">June 18th, 4:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-18T16:58:38-07:00">June 18th, 4:58pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-reveal-zach-edey-timeline-after-surgery">Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey</a> was recently charged with reckless driving after allegedly driving 101 mph. The incident took place in Indiana, where he attended college at Purdue University.</p><p>Reports indicate that Edey was driving <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/purdue/2025/06/18/former-purdue-basketball-star-zach-edey-charged-with-reckless-driving-tippecanoe-county-kia-sorento/84263023007/?taid=68530233b24c5f00014bd3d0&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter" rel="noopener">101 mph in a 55 mph zone</a>, according to Ron Wilkins of the Indy Star. The 23-year-old center was pulled over on the night of May 1, just days after the Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs. Zach Edey explained to officers that the reason he was driving so fast was that he was trying to pass a vehicle.</p><p>“Police say they stopped former Purdue basketball star Zach Edey on May 1, driving 101 mph in a 55 mph zone on Indiana 25 in southern Tippecanoe County. Edey’s northbound Kia Sorento passed the Indiana State Police trooper’s southbound vehicle at 7:03 p.m., according to a probable cause affidavit. When the trooper caught up to the speeding car, Edey turned eastbound on Tippecanoe County Road 700 South and stopped.</p><p>“Edey has an initial hearing at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Tippecanoe Superior 6 on a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. Edey, 23, of Memphis, told police he was trying to pass a vehicle as an explanation for speeding.”</p><p>Zach Edey’s reckless driving incident will likely become water under the bridge once he attends his hearing. He just wrapped up his first year in the NBA playing for the Grizzlies. After serving as a superstar talent for Purdue, the 7-foot-4 center displayed flashes of potential in Memphis. He ended his rookie season averaging 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while owning a 58.0% field goal percentage and shooting 34.6% from beyond the arc.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/stephen-a-smiths-ja-morant-grizzlies-take-debunked-by-memphis-mayor">The Grizzlies will hope</a> he takes a big step in development over the offseason and improves upon his production. If he can find a way to become an even more efficient scorer, rebounder, and blocker, then he could serve as a great complement to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Zach Edey charged with 101 mph reckless driving

<!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-reveal-zach-edey-timeline-after-surgery');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies reveal Zach Edey timeline after surgery');   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/2025/06/Edey.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies reveal Zach Edey timeline after surgery</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-10T17:34:46-07:00">June 10th, 5:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-10T17:37:10-07:00">June 10th, 5:37pm</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><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies reveal Zach Edey timeline after surgery

<!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/how-grizzlies-survive-without-zach-edey-injury-surgery-until-next-march-madness');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Grizzlies must survive without Zach Edey until next March Madness');   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/2025/06/How-Grizzlies-can-survive-without-Zach-Edey-until-next-March-Madness.jpg"></figure><h1>How Grizzlies must survive without Zach Edey until next March Madness</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-09T18:17:06-07:00">June 9th, 6:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-09T18:17:06-07:00">June 9th, 6:17pm</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/sources-grizzlies-news-memphis-getting-mentioned-two-lowkey-big-men-league-circles-nba-offseason-trade-rumors-all-star-big-men">Memphis Grizzlies’ offseason plans were abruptly recalibrated</a> when rookie center Zach Edey underwent surgery for <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45470550/sources-grizzlies-edey-ankle-surgery-miss-start-season" rel="noopener">excessive ligamentous laxity</a> in his left ankle, sidelining him indefinitely. With their 7-foot-4 anchor of the future expected to miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season, new head coach Tuomas Iisalo faces an early defining challenge. Yet within this setback lies an opportunity to define roles, set rebounding standards, and accelerate the tactical evolution of a team determined to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/how-grizzlies-ja-morant-improved-offensively-under-tuomas-iisalo-stats">contend around a Ja Morant-led core.</a></p><p>EVP/GM Zach Kleiman will look at cheaper, veteran minimum, or MLE options, sure. Jake LaRavia or <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/exclusive-grizzlies-news-marvin-bagley-iii-keeping-everything-in-perspective-after-nba-playoffs-sweep-free-agency">Marvin Bagley III returning to the Grizzlies</a> would not be surprising. Bismack Biyombo would provide veteran leadership but little else to the 10-man rotations. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has some decent NBA wisdom and a bit more versatility as a complementary piece, though he is in no way a rim protector. Watch for former Edey foil Drew Timme in Memphis should the Brooklyn Nets have to deal with a trade-related roster crunch.</p><p>Yet, no one comes close to providing Edey’s unique one-of-one screen-assisting, shot-altering skillset. Without Edey, Memphis loses not just production but a gravitational force that shaped opponent game plans. That’s why the Grizzlies need to get creative with what they’ve got and avoid big salary cap hits. More small ball must be part of the equation. Scotty Pippen Jr. thrived as a two-way initiator under Iisalo. Expand his role to reduce Morant’s creation burden while developing GG Jackson or Vince Williams as switchable power forwards.</p><p>Iisalo’s pick-and-roll-heavy approach will keep Ja Morant and Desmond Bane in attack mode, while Santi Aldama and Jaylen Wells provide spacing. Signing Precious Achiuwa or Thomas Bryant would address specific needs without breaking the bank, allowing Memphis to maintain flexibility for future moves. Ben Simmons, if willing and healthy, is a curveball option for Iisalo to get extremely weird with the bench rotations.</p><p>Past that, there is not much else on offer for the Grizzlies to consider. Jaren Jackson Jr., Jay Huff, GG Jackson, and Santi Aldama will have to soldier on in an attempt to finally fix their rebounding woes. While Jackson Jr., Aldama, and Huff can shoot from beyond the arc, clearing the boards must be the frontcourt focus in training camp. That is the only way to survive without Edey or reinforcements for the first few months of the 2025-26 campaign.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies need patience</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Grizzlies-center-Zach-Edey-14-and-Oklahoma-City-Thunder-forward-Chet-Holmgren-7-battle.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Zach Edey’s rookie impact transcended his modest averages (9.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG). Under Iisalo’s interim stewardship late last season, he became a system cornerstone. Arguably the most notable personnel shift under Iisalo besides Ja Morant’s usage rate was Edey’s increased importance (9.3 PPG, 13.4 RPG), especially on the boards. Edey’s 94 rebounds in the final six regular-season games underscored a growing importance.</p><p>The First-Team All-Rookie honoree posted a 14-point, 17-rebound statline in his postseason debut against the Golden State Warriors. Another star NBA Play-In Tournament performance (15 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks) against the Dallas Mavericks gave the Grizzlies hope. Iisalo’s decision to give Edey more minutes (from 20.8 to 29.7 per game in April) and utilize him in closing lineups paid dividends, particularly in securing second-chance opportunities.</p><p>Iisalo’s European coaching background, where he worked with bigs in dynamic pick-and-roll systems, translated well to Edey’s skill set. By pairing Edey with Morant in high pick-and-rolls, Iisalo created <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?TeamID=1610612763&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=REB" rel="noopener">opportunities for lobs and offensive rebounds</a> (2.8 per game in the NBA Playoffs), reducing the pressure on Morant to carry the scoring load single-handedly.</p><p>“I see Zach more as a key piece for us in all of this,” Iisalo<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/article/grizzlies-tuomas-iisalo-prioritizing-ahead-010158150.html" rel="noopener"> noted before the postseason began</a>. “(Edey) has been doing a great job of providing that solidness throughout.”</p><p>The Thunder kept Zach Edey in check, but Ja Morant was still claiming to have figured out the top seed. Thankfully, despite the unglamorous sweep, the Grizzlies figured out how Edey works with the team’s most talented star. Tuomas Iisalo’s job is treading water without a replacement to start next season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Grizzlies must survive without Zach Edey until next March Madness

<!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-memphis-dealt-tough-zach-edey-update-after-offseason-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies dealt tough Zach Edey update after offseason 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/2025/03/Zach-Edey-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies dealt tough Zach Edey update after offseason injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-07T12:43:20-07:00">June 7th, 12:43pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-07T13:35:40-07:00">June 7th, 1:35pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1931421208441983132" rel="noopener">received a major setback</a> on Saturday as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that All-Rookie center Zach Edey re-sprained his left ankle during an offseason workout and will undergo surgery to re-stabilize the joint.</p><p>The 23-year-old center is expected to miss the start of the 2025-26 NBA season. Edey’s latest injury marks the third time he has aggravated the same ankle since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-memphis-biggest-zach-edey-concern-after-summer-league">initially suffering the sprain during Summer League action last July</a>.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies announce surgery after Zach Edey re-aggravates ankle</b></h2><p>The Grizzlies confirmed the development in an official statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.</p><p>“During an offseason training session this week, Edey re-sprained his left ankle. Imaging revealed excessive ligamentous laxity, which will require Edey to undergo surgery to address the laxity and re-stabilize his ankle.</p><p>A preliminary timeline will be provided following surgery, but Edey is expected to make a full recovery.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> today announced the following medical update for Zach Edey. <a href="https://t.co/4nGCCNVm0n">pic.twitter.com/4nGCCNVm0n</a></p><p>— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1931422767712186513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Edey, the 7-foot-4 rookie out of Purdue, played in 66 games for Memphis during the 2024-25 season. He averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 58% from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc. His production earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team.</p><p>Edey initially <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-zach-edey-injury-update-lakers-clash">aggravated his ankle again in a November matchup against the Denver Nuggets</a>. He appeared to tweak it during the first half and attempted to return after halftime but was forced to exit once more. The injury caused him to miss 12 games.</p><p>The Grizzlies were hopeful that with a full offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-gm-calls-out-wild-zach-edey-discourse-after-rookie-season">Edey could take a step forward in Year 2</a>. Now the franchise must monitor his recovery closely while considering potential reinforcements at the center position.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies dealt tough Zach Edey update after offseason 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-how-zach-edey-scotty-pippen-jr-can-reach-ceiling-after-nba-playoffs-run');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Grizzlies Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. can ‘reach ceiling’ after NBA Playoffs run');   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/Grizzlies-news-Zach-Edey-Scotty-Pippen-Jr.-looking-to-build-on-punishing-NBA-Playoffs-experience.jpg"></figure><h1>How Grizzlies Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. can ‘reach ceiling’ after NBA Playoffs run</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-29T00:30:57-07:00">April 29th, 12:30am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-29T06:42:56-07:00">April 29th, 6:42am</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/grizzlies-news-could-ja-morant-post-hint-departure">Memphis Grizzlies are dealing with Ja Morant</a> rumors already but there is reason for optimism after being swept by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. A budding chemistry between rookie center Zach Edey and guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-scotty-pippen-jr-after-nba-playoffs-stunner-hero-despite-disappointment-tuomas-iisalo-desmond-bane-jaren-jackson-jr">Scotty Pippen Jr. offers a foundation for the future</a>. If nothing else was learned by the Grizzlies, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Zach Kleiman has a promising supporting cast to build around as the team eyes a deeper postseason run next year.</p><p>Zach Edey, the 7-foot-4 former Purdue star and No. 9 overall draft pick, and Scotty Pippen Jr., a tenacious third-year guard, showcased flashes of synergy under Tuomas Iisalo. Their pick-and-roll execution and full-court pressure adjustments became a focal point of the game plan against <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-why-mark-daigneault-believe-perfect-basketball-after-51-point-dominance-vs-grizzlies-nba-playoffs">Mark Daigneault’s fine-tuned Thunder squad.</a></p><p>Internal confidence that the partnership is something that can grow into something capable of winning NBA Playoffs games is no secret, Edey told ClutchPoints.</p><p>“For sure, yeah,” Edey shared. “Every game we are building off of the last game. I’m trying to get better every game. Every game of the (Thunder series), every game of the regular season, I’m trying to get better and reach my ceiling.”</p><p>Edey’s role as a screen-setting, rim-protecting big man complemented Pippen Jr.’s relentless ball pressure and playmaking. The Grizzlies leaned heavily on full-court runs after mid-court screens to free up their half-court offense, a cardio-intensive scheme that tested Edey’s conditioning but opened opportunities for Pippen Jr.’s drives and kick-outs.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Grizzlies-center-Zach-Edey-14-and-Oklahoma-City-Thunder-forward-Chet-Holmgren-7-battle.jpg"><figcaption>© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite his helpful contributions, Edey remained self-critical about his playoff performance. The rookie also learned why Iisalo needed him inching up the court.</p><p>“Just try to help my guys on the full-court pressure when (the defense) is picking up,” Edey replied. “Give them easier releases.”</p><p>As for an assessment of how he played during the NBA Playoffs.</p><p>“I could have been better,” Edey stated.</p><p>Pippen Jr., who emerged as a rotation mainstay after spending much of last season in the G League, <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/1916275015307219280" rel="noopener">expressed gratitude and ambition</a> following the season-ending loss.</p><p>“I feel like I’ve been working for this my whole life,” Pippen Jr. said. “To finally get this platform and this opportunity, I’m trying to take the best advantage of it and just show I still belong. You know, last year I was in the G-League so this is really my first full NBA season. Definitely this is a dream come true. There’s more to come, more to build on.”</p><p>While their playoff exit underscored areas for growth for the Grizzlies, the Zach Edey-Scotty Pippen Jr. connection provides a cornerstone for EVP Zach Kleiman’s vision. With Edey’s interior dominance and Pippen Jr.’s threatening hustle, Memphis has a versatile framework to pair with stars like Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. For a franchise aiming to contend, the young supporting cast’s growth could be the key to unlocking a championship-caliber core.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Grizzlies Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. can ‘reach ceiling’ after NBA Playoffs run

<!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-gm-calls-out-wild-zach-edey-discourse-after-rookie-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies GM calls out ‘wild’ Zach Edey discourse after rookie season');   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/Grizzlies-center-Zach-Edey-14-and-Oklahoma-City-Thunder-forward-Chet-Holmgren-7-battle.jpg"><figcaption>© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies GM calls out ‘wild’ Zach Edey discourse after rookie season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-28T01:24:50-07:00">April 28th, 1:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-28T01:24:50-07:00">April 28th, 1:24am</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Zach Edey entered the 2024 NBA Draft as one of the most divisive prospects in recent memory. With the modern NBA trending more towards speed and skilled size, Edey’s game appeared to be a relic of an older period. Edey, who stands at 7’4″ and is listed at 305 lbs., is not the fleetest of foot and could be exposed by modern NBA offenses. Even then, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-why-zach-edey-growth-essential-success-after-brandon-clarke-injury">Memphis Grizzlies believed in his potential</a>, drafting him with the ninth overall pick of last year’s draft.</p><p>Not much has changed regarding many fans and analysts’ evaluation of Edey. But for someone who’s new to the NBA, Edey sure does catch a lot of flak on a regular basis, which persisted during the Grizzlies’ first-round series sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><p>Nonetheless, the Grizzlies organization <a href="https://x.com/DrewHill_DM/status/1916527102473458052" rel="noopener">remains confident</a> in what Edey brings to the table, with Zach Kleiman calling the discourse surrounding the 22-year-old rookie “wild” because of how much the 7’4″ guy stands out.</p><p>“The discourse around Zach Edey is so wild because the mistakes are so loud,” Kleiman said, per Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian.</p><p>Edey’s game is clearly limited, and this is especially the case for rookie big men who are still getting accustomed to the breakneck speed of the NBA game. Even then, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-why-jaren-jackson-jr-zach-edey-hold-keys-potential-comeback-vs-thunder-nba-playoffs">Grizzlies rookie held his own</a> on plenty of occasions, and he went out with a high during their Game 4 loss to the Thunder by blocking seven shots.</p><p>Big men tend to need time to acclimate to the NBA, and perhaps Edey can blossom into a wrecking ball of a two-way force once he matures even further. The Grizzlies will definitely need him to improve as they try to right the ship and get the franchise back on track.</p><h2><b>Zach Edey — long-term keeper for the Grizzlies or long-term bench option?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Zach-Edey-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In today’s NBA, big men have to be able to guard in space. Zach Edey’s physical limitations, however, mean that he’s restricted to playing some strict drop coverage, which can be death against teams with guards who can pull up from beyond the arc.</p><p>The more traditional big men can make up for it with positional awareness and the ability to dominate the interior game — both on the glass and on the scoreboard. Edey is only 22, so the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-zach-kleiman-not-grading-phenominal-impactful-rookie-zach-edey-nba-playoffs-all-star-break">Grizzlies can afford him some time to develop</a> into the long-term keeper they think he can be someday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies GM calls out ‘wild’ Zach Edey discourse after rookie season

<!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-why-jaren-jackson-jr-zach-edey-hold-keys-potential-comeback-vs-thunder-nba-playoffs');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey hold keys to potential comeback vs. Thunder');   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/Grizzlies-news-Why-Jaren-Jackson-Jr-Zach-Edey-hold-keys-to-potential-comeback-vs-Thunder.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey hold keys to potential comeback vs. Thunder</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-24T11:20:11-07:00">April 24th, 11:20am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-24T11:20:11-07:00">April 24th, 11:20am</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>It’s too late in the season to get cute with the scouting reports. The best shot at winning a postseason game and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-zach-kleiman-front-office-convinced-tuomas-iisalo-ja-morant-marriage-built-last">Tuomas Iisalo securing the full-time Memphis Grizzlies job</a> is by granting Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. the offensive freedom they crave. Simply put, tailoring the system to maximize their unique talents is the most logical pathway to the Grizzlies pulling off an upset over <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-why-mark-daigneault-believe-perfect-basketball-after-51-point-dominance-vs-grizzlies-nba-playoffs">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s top-seeded, almost-perfect Oklahoma City Thunder</a>. Incorporating rookie big man Zach Edey into the process would help further endear Iisalo to the front office though.</p><p>Fortunately, that strategy might also be huge in helping the Grizzlies lay the groundwork for future NBA Playoffs runs as well.</p><p>Empowering Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey to work together while Desmond Bane and Ja Morant find breathing room in the half-court offense could be the best way to worry the Thunder. It might also create a bit more harmony in the locker room. Reports suggest the stars grew frustrated with an offensive scheme that diminished their role as the primary initiators. The old system emphasized spacing, cutting, and relocation over the pick-and-roll-heavy approach Morant thrived in during his All-Star seasons.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chet-Holmgren.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Meanwhile, Jaren Jackson Jr., the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, is a unicorn. The 25-year-old, 6-foot-10 big man has elite defensive instincts and a versatile offensive game. Under Jenkins, Jackson averaged 22.4 points per game with a 59.7% true shooting percentage, numbers that reflect his potential as a primary scoring option. However, Taylor Jenkins democratized the offense, limiting everyone’s touches. This came back to haunt the team in crucial situations.</p><p>Enter Tuomas Iisalo, a European coaching prodigy known for his innovative offensive concepts. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-how-ja-morant-drive-happy-memphis-tuomas-iisalo-break-thunder-game-3-nba-playoffs">Ja Morant’s Grizzlies marriage may have some shelf life</a> if the Finnish coach can coax a few wins out of this series. It sure would go a long way to winning the permanent job. Zach Edey has to be allowed to clean up the messes.</p><p>Thankfully, the 7-foot-4 <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1915459678894534744" rel="noopener">phenom was all smiles</a> recently when talking to ClutchPoints about doing the dirty work that leads to putback dunks when the stars do not make a shot.</p><p>“That’s always kind of been the rule,” Edey smiled. “Don’t get your shot blocked. Just get it up on the rim, get it high, and I’ll go finish it.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Get to the rim.</p><p>Get the shot over Chet.</p><p>Let Edey get eat:<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrindCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GrindCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/NueXypq19R">pic.twitter.com/NueXypq19R</a></p><p>— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1915459678894534744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>No one should be counting Edey out after a <a href="https://x.com/DoingItDodson/status/1914802815316140295" rel="noopener">tough two-game introduction</a> to the most intense basketball on Earth.</p><p>“Jaren was telling me about his first (NBA Playoffs) series and stuff like that,” Edey shared. “He was picking me up. It’s a long series and everyone knows that. No matter what the score was, it’s just one game…Just got to be better.”</p><p>Edey tops the <a href="https://x.com/The_BBall_Index/status/1915146157950370119" rel="noopener">Overall Rebounding Impact charts</a> according to The Basketball Index. Let the rookie worry about keeping Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off the boards. The Grizzlies can unlock Jackson’s offensive ceiling by integrating him into the pick-and-roll game alongside Morant. In the European theater, Tuomas Iisalo’s teams thrived on bigs who could screen, roll, and pop.</p><p>These are the exact roles Jackson is tailor-made for, not the stationary shooter being offered disconnected isolation actions halfway through the 24-second shot clock. Jackson Jr.’s ability to stretch the floor (he’s a career 35.5% three-point shooter) forces opposing bigs to step out, opening driving lanes for Morant or Desmond Bane. Creating mismatches for Jackson Jr. to exploit with his quick first step should be a priority when the Thunder go big to match up with Edey.</p><p>First, have Edey screen more. That bruising staple is being used left ofter under Iisalo. In the half-court, Iisalo could run inverted actions, letting Jackson Jr. initiate from the top of the key while Morant cuts or relocates, flipping the traditional guard-big dynamic to keep defenses guessing. The same goes for having Edey screen for Jackson Jr. while Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Scotty Pippen Jr. space the floor and sharpshooting cutting threats.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zach-Edey-Grizzlies-defends-Thunder.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Defensively, Jaren Jackson Jr. remains the anchor, but Iisalo must ensure he stays on the floor in critical moments. Zach Edey has to learn how to be effective in the postseason eventually. Why not give the rookie more responsibility on defense? The Grizzlies would keep an All-Defensive Team candidate clean on fouls and find out just how close the newest first-round lottery pick investment is to contributing 25+ minutes to a championship contender.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey hold keys to potential comeback vs. Thunder

<!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-jaren-jackson-jr-zach-edey-receive-stern-stop-fouling-challenge-after-timberwolves-loss-tuomas-iilaso');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey given ‘stop fouling’ order after Timberwolves loss');   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/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Zach-Edey-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey given ‘stop fouling’ order after Timberwolves loss</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-11T08:50:29-07:00">April 11th, 8:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-11T08:50:29-07:00">April 11th, 8:50am</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/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-hurting-after-dropping-out-nba-playoffs-picture-western-conference">Memphis Grizzlies are having a hard time</a> getting everyone on the same page before the NBA Playoffs begin. The most recent setback, a 141-125 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, exposed more than a few <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-zach-edey-stamp-approval-tuomas-iisalo-after-taylor-jenkins-slight">flaws with Tuomas Iisalo’s new frontcourt configurations</a>. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey seem to be reading from different books when looking at their failures in two fundamental areas: fouling and reading screens as a twin towers tandem.</p><p>Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 23 points and two steals against Minnesota. However, it was all ugly past those numbers on the stat sheet. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year had just one rebound and one assist to five fouls and two turnovers against Rudy Gobert’s Timberwolves (47-33). The defeat dropped the Grizzlies (47-33) to the bottom of the multi-team tiebreakers and below the NBA Playoffs top-six security line.</p><p>Zach Edey contributed seven points, nine rebounds, and a block, but Naz Reid and Julius Randle kept the Grizzlies from catching a break. Jackson Jr. and Edey’s foul trouble and the season-ending injury to Brandon Clarke left Tuomas Iisalo looking for frontcourt solutions which never materialized. Too many fouls and a<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfFZWcALWAU" rel="noopener"> lack of faith are the main issues.</a></p><p>“We had two of our bigs with four fouls (in the third quarter),” Iisalo noted. “I pulled (Zach Edey) out early and then (Jaren Jackson Jr.) almost immediately after. Of course, in hindsight, you think should we have left them in? Should we have gone longer? We corrected at some point, but they were rolling already at that point.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Zach-Edey-Ja-Morant.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Cutting down on fouls is step one. Figuring out the defense as a twin towers pairing so the team’s rebounding does not suffer. Jaren Jackson Jr. had more fouls than rebounds twice in the last four Grizzlies games under Tuomas Iisalo. Jackson Jr. has eight instances of having more fouls than rebounds since returning from an ankle injury on March 14.</p><p>Anthony Edwards and the rest of the Timberwolves exploited those flaws.</p><p>“It was all sorts of situations. You had balls screens, you had isos, you had transition situations. It was not just one situation that was hurting (the Grizzlies),” Iisalo stressed. “The thing is, bad teams, they would say in this situation we played well otherwise but that one bad quarter hurt us. No. That quarter is the one that we have to fix and focus on and do better and learn from that if we want to be good or great.”</p><p>There is not much time left to learn on the job. Tuomas Iisalo needs a win and some help to be assured of at least one more home game after the regular season finale versus the Dallas Mavericks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey given ‘stop fouling’ order after Timberwolves loss

<!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-zach-edey-stamp-approval-tuomas-iisalo-after-taylor-jenkins-slight');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight');   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/Zach-Edey-gets-stamp-of-approval-from-Tuomas-Iisalo-after-Taylor-Jenkins-slight.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T20:02:23-07:00">April 2nd, 8:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T20:02:23-07:00">April 2nd, 8:02pm</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/grizzlies-news-tuomas-iisalo-refreshes-desmond-bane-ja-morant-two-man-game-amid-nba-playoffs-push-point-guard-duty">Memphis Grizzlies needed a refresh</a> after falling down the Western Conference standings in their own wayward version of March Madness. Now <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-accepts-blames-credits-desmond-bane-will-to-win">Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are balancing the ball-handling duties</a> more equitably of late, leaving Jaren Jackson Jr. to do what the Defensive Player of the Year does best. Tuomas Iisalo, who took over the reins after former coach Taylor Jenkins was let go, didn’t mince words when discussing Zach Edey’s impact either.</p><p>The rookie big man, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xIyIdAssbI" rel="noopener">often underutilized or overlooked</a> during Jenkins’ tenure, has emerged as a key piece for a Grizzlies team navigating injuries and a midseason coaching change.</p><p>“(Zach Edey) has actually been a stabilizing force for us here, and it comes at the exact right time with Brandon Clarke out with the injury,” Iisalo said. “He has proven throughout the season that he is very eager to learn new things. He listens, he is very tough, and doesn’t shy away from contact. This is not the first time this season, but it’s great to see him play like this against this caliber of team. We are going to need that going forward.”</p><p>Edey has faced scrutiny for his transition to the pro game, with critics questioning his mobility and fit in a fast-paced league. Under Taylor Jenkins, his minutes fluctuated, and his role often seemed undefined. But Tuomas Iisalo thinks the Purdue alum is ready to anchor the Grizzlies against the league’s elite.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zach-Edey-Santi-Aldama-Grizzlies-rebound.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Against <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-stephen-curry-leaves-tuomas-iisalo-ja-morant-shaking-heads-sight-to-behold">Stephen Curry’s “sight to behold” Golden State Warriors</a> (44-31), Zach Edey logged a double-double with 10 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks battling in the paint against a Warriors squad known for its relentless pace. His physicality and willingness to mix it up inside drew nods of approval from teammates and staff alike.</p><p>“For Zach, the hard part is obvious, but now you know this is the baseline,” Iisalo noted. “This is what we will need in order to compete with the best teams. But everybody in the locker room and on the staff believes that he can take big strides forward. That is what he is doing.”</p><p>Next up is a battle with Bam Adebayo’s Miami Heat (35-41). Eric Spoelstra will surely have a few schemes cooked up to fool the rookie. Then it’s off to the Motor City to see Jalen Duren’s Detroit Pistons (42-33). A rematch against Mark Williams and the Charlotte Hornets (19-57) wraps up a crucial three-game road trip. Coming home to see Rudy Gobert’s Minnesota Timberwolves (44-32) will be no picnic. The last road trip of the season is a one-game jaunt up the mountains to see NBA MVP Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets (47-29).</p><p>A home finale against the Dallas Mavericks (37-39) might bring a reprieve of sorts for the Grizzlies (44-32), but only if Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II sit out. Either way, the 7-foot-4 phenom will have to be on his toes to inch past the regular season finish line fully confident in his postseason abilities. One thing seems clear after three games though: Zach Edey is no longer an afterthought in the game plan.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Zach Edey gets stamp of approval from Tuomas Iisalo after Taylor Jenkins slight

<!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-why-zach-edey-growth-essential-success-after-brandon-clarke-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Zach Edey’s growth essential to Grizzlies’ success after Brandon Clarke 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/2025/03/Why-Zach-Edeys-growth-essential-to-Grizzlies-success-after-Brandon-Clarke-injury.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Zach Edey’s growth essential to Grizzlies’ success after Brandon Clarke injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-24T12:48:44-07:00">March 24th, 12:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-24T12:48:44-07:00">March 24th, 12:48pm</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>It’s been a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-taylor-jenkins-missing-one-ingredient-complete-recipe-success-western-conference-nba-playoffs">tough 2025 for Ja Morant’s gut-punched Memphis Grizzlies</a> as they keep taking uppercuts to the chin that would make the late George Foreman blush. Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane have all spent time on the shelf due to injuries. Taylor Jenkins has been juggling lineups while remaining uncommittal when it comes to dishing out major minutes to anyone. Getting to the NBA Playoffs healthy is more important than having any homecourt advantages. That is why Zach Edey’s growth is essential to the team’s postseason success after Brandon Clarke’s year-ending injury.</p><p>Jenkins, speaking after a 128-108 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers dropped the Grizzlies (43-28) to fifth place in the NBA Western Conference Playoffs race, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBU05R1WnZM" rel="noopener">backed the rookie big man</a> after a tough night. Specifically, the team’s record-holder in wins highlighted why the Edey-Jackson Jr. pairing should have no problems adjusting to the uptick in shared court time with Clarke sidelined.</p><p>“(The Edey-Jackson Jr. pairing) has been kind of a staple of ours all season long and I wanted to try something different to maybe jumpstart some things,” Jenkins noted. “Obviously, with (Brandon Clarke) being out, we’re still evaluating what’s going on with him so I felt maybe there’s some advantages to be created.”</p><p>Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey have been engaged all season, building chemistry even when the fans are not in the FedEx Forum. This has encouraged the Grizzlies to give the rookie more on-court time before the NBA Playoffs begin.</p><p>“(Zach Edey) came in and gave us a big spark (against the Clippers),” Jenkins stressed. “It’s kind of a chess match there…but all season long those two guys (have been) anchors for us defensively. Zach has been growing and getting better every single day. The leadership and mentorship that Jaren‘s been showing Zach, I’ve seen so much progress. His adaptability to start, come off the bench, and still make an impact is very impressive for a rookie.”</p><p>It’s not hard to see a franchise cornerstone in the making. Edey is averaging 9.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks on 56.8% shooting from the field (35.6% 3PA). However, the Grizzlies have to see the short-term plateaus that will come into play this spring. Those holes are what Jenkins now must gameplan around more often with Edey in and Clarke out.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Zach-Edey-Ja-Morant.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Brandon Clarke’s absence leaves a void in Memphis’ frontcourt depth, thrusting the 7-foot-4 Edey into a more prominent role as the regular season nears its close. Selected ninth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Edey has quickly emerged as a vital piece for the Grizzlies, showcasing a blend of size, skill, and adaptability that has impressed in spurts. In others, well, Edey looks like a rookie still learning the ropes.</p><p>Edey provided a glimpse of his potential, delivering a spark off the bench despite the lopsided scoreline in Los Angeles. The last 10 games of the season will provide a variety of stress tests, some far bigger than Ivica Zubac. A four-game stretch against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors will likely expose every weakness as teams jockey for position. A trip to face Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets is the last road game of the regular season.</p><p>Taylor Jenkins’ decision to experiment with Edey lineups will reflect both the urgency of the moment and the locker room’s confidence in the rookie’s readiness. The towering center, who dominated college basketball at Purdue, has translated his physicality and basketball IQ to the NBA level faster than many anticipated.</p><p>Zach Edey’s partnership with Jaren Jackson Jr. offers a twin-towers dynamic that few teams can match, blending rim protection with offensive versatility. How it all fits will determine whether the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-must-recapture-before-nba-playoffs">Grizzlies keep trophy hunting or start vacations</a> after the first round.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Zach Edey’s growth essential to Grizzlies’ success after Brandon Clarke 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-jaren-jackson-jr-coaching-taylor-jenkins-challenging-zach-edey-nba');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. is guiding, Taylor Jenkins ‘challenging’ Zach Edey');   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/How-Grizzlies-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-is-guiding-Taylor-Jenkins-challenging-Zach-Edey.jpg"></figure><h1>How Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. is guiding, Taylor Jenkins ‘challenging’ Zach Edey</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-06T13:02:43-08:00">March 6th, 1:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-06T13:02:43-08:00">March 6th, 1:02pm</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/grizzlies-news-how-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-desmond-bane-learn-stephen-curry-draymond-green-leadership-blueprint">Memphis Grizzlies have more than a few problems</a> but thankfully a leadership crisis is not on the list. Injuries top the charts as Jaren Jackson Jr., unable to corral rebounds, has taken to coaching up rookie Zach Edey lately. Jackson Jr., a two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection, has historically anchored Memphis’ top-10 defense. Now the Grizzlies have a 6-foot-10 void to fill but Taylor Jenkins expressed confidence in Edey’s 7-foot-4 frame, citing the rookie’s work ethic and Jackson Jr.’s hands-on mentorship.</p><p>Specifically, Jenkins has been<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUniePd7DzY" rel="noopener"> encouraged by the frontcourt</a>‘s note sharing over the last few days.</p><p>“(This stretch) is going to be important and Jaren has been in (Edey’s) ear,” Jenkins said. “All day yesterday, all day today, understanding the opportunity that’s going to present itself when you’ve got those two guys in lockstep.”</p><p>Despite <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-injury-directly-impacts-grizzlies-desmond-bane-breakout-opportunity-nba-playoffs-race-western-conference">Jaren Jackson Jr.’s absence from the Grizzlies rotations</a>, the 25-year-old’s influence remains strong while coaching the 22-year-old through this critical period. Meanwhile, Jenkins has been impressed with Edey’s defensive contributions, particularly in high-pressure situations. The rookie had six points, nine rebounds, a steal, and only one personal foul in a home loss against the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><p>“The things I’ve been seeing out of Zach when (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) was going downhill, when Jalen Williams was going downhill,” added Jenkins, “is multiple efforts, contesting out to the three point line, and altering shots at the rim.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Zach-Edey-Grizzlies-defense.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-desmond-bane-taylor-jenkins-zach-edey-examining-post-nba-all-star-break-priorities-playoffs">Grizzlies are being ambitiously reasonable</a> with the gameplan. Taylor Jenkins is emphasizing Zach Edey’s development, especially in communication on defense, as the team navigates Jaren Jackson Jr.’s absence.</p><p>“(Edey) is not going to get every block. I mean, these are tough players but he was late switching at the rim, contesting on fadeaways, and impacting those shots,” Jenkins noted. “His presence is there. I want him to continue to communicate more. That’s the challenge especially now that he has the opportunity and assuming more of that anchor position at the backline of our defense.”</p><p>With Jackson Jr. (22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds per game) sidelined, Edey’s development has taken center stage. Jenkins is pushing the rookie to become the defensive anchor the Grizzlies need, leveraging his 7-foot-11 wingspan to command the paint. A collective effort is needed to pick up the scoring slack so forcing up more shots is not an approach that helps anyone. The coach’s challenge is clear: Edey (9.3 points, 7.8 rebounds per game) must not only alter shots but also direct traffic on defense—a skill that could define his role in the NBA Playoffs.</p><p>Fans looking for a silver lining can save the time. Given the Grade 2 diagnosis and no sign of a walking boot on Jackson Jr.’s foot, this could be a blessing in disguise. The Grizzlies are banking on Edey to solidify their frontcourt over the next five to seven years at least. Memphis hopes this stretch will lay the foundation for the rookie to emerge as a key contributor, both now and when Jackson Jr. returns to the lineup.</p><p>It may be the difference between meeting the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals or going home in the first round.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. is guiding, Taylor Jenkins ‘challenging’ Zach Edey

<!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-taylor-jenkins-zach-kleiman-not-grading-phenominal-impactful-rookie-zach-edey-nba-playoffs-all-star-break');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies refuse to give ‘phenomenal’ rookie Zach Edey midseason grade');   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/2025/02/Why-Grizzlies-refuse-to-give-phenomenal-rookie-Zach-Edey-midseason-grade.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies refuse to give ‘phenomenal’ rookie Zach Edey midseason grade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-24T15:58:42-08:00">February 24th, 3:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-24T15:58:42-08:00">February 24th, 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">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-jaren-jackson-jr-geared-4-team-fight-claim-top-2-spot-western-conference-standings-nba-playoffs">Memphis Grizzlies are in a four-team fight</a> to avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder (46-10) this spring but a gamble last summer has been paying significant dividends. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-giving-ja-morant-zach-edey-room-work-pick-roll-actions-offense">Zach Edey’s upside with Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant</a> was under severe scrutiny given the reliance on a traditional, post-heavy game at Purdue but already looks ready for NBA Playoffs minutes. How Taylor Jenkins helped the 7-foot-4 phenom adjust to the NBA has focused on nurturing Edey’s adaptability rather than demanding immediate results. In fact, Jenkins flat-out rejected the idea of setting grade-school grade-scale expectations for a “phenomenal” Edey after the NBA All-Star break.</p><p>Some ideas are best left to the university setting. The team’s record holder in wins was especially not <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC6TvzYYvGA" rel="noopener">giving out midseason report cards</a> after wrapping up a tough three-game road trip with a 129-123 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers (47-10). While Edey, selected ninth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, has already begun turning heads with his play, the Grizzlies (37-20) are focusing on the long game rather than setting rigid benchmarks to be met by arbitrary dates.</p><p>“I’m never one when a rookie comes in to set expectations that say you better meet this by a certain date or anything like that,” Jenkins stated. “I just wanna see progress. This kid has been phenomenal in learning the speed of the game, new terminology, and new systems compared to what he was playing in Purdue.”</p><p>The two-time Naismith College Player of the Year arrived in Memphis with a reputation as a dominant paint-patrolling low-block bully. However, transitioning from college ball to the NBA is no small feat and Jenkins has praised the rookie’s ability to adapt. Rather than boxing Edey (9.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals/blocks per game) into predefined goals, the Grizzlies are giving the 21-year-old room to grow (34.9% 3PA) into a new role organically—a philosophy that seems to be paying off early in the season.</p><p>Edey is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?CF=GP*GE*35&amp;PerMode=Per36&amp;PlayerPosition=C&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=OREB" rel="noopener">third in offensive rebounds</a>, 13th in total rebounds, and 12th in blocks per 36 minutes (min. 35 games played) among all centers. He has snagged 7.4 offensive rebounds (3rd) and 2.6 blocks (12th) per 100 possessions while shooting 57.3% from the field. A rookie who immediately provides a positive impact on 10% of all plays without needing the ball is an extraordinary find. Add in the 20.3 points per 100 possessions, and it’s a front-office feather in the cap that will make the rest of the league jealous for years to come.</p><h2><b>Do not short Grizzlies, Zach Edey’s stock</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Zach-Edey.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Short- or long-term, it’s hard to argue that Memphis made the wrong decision in the draft regardless of any officially issued grades. The Grizzlies have leaned on Zach Edey’s size and instincts to bolster their frontcourt, and he’s already making his presence felt.</p><p>“We’ve seen (Edey) blocking shots, getting rebounds, and sometimes the ball is going to bounce his way, Jenkins said. “If not, you just have to continue to figure out that level of speed and physicality in certain moments against especially really good bigs and really good teams.”</p><p>It’s a nod to the learning curve every rookie faces. Despite the inevitable ups and downs, Jenkins has been impressed with Edey’s trajectory. While the playing time has fluctuated, Jenkins stressed that progress isn’t measured solely by minutes. Edey’s daily dedication, whether in practice, film sessions, or limited game action, is more indicative of future success as the Grizzlies internally gauge development.</p><p>“(Edey’s) progress day in and day out has been phenomenal no matter what his minutes are,” Jenkins noted. “Someone told me we’ve been studying and he is one of the most impactful rookies in the NBA this season when he’s on the floor. That’s all that matters and we talked about it at the beginning of the season. It’s all about impact in winning no matter what’s out there. He’s continued to make that impact and you know so far it’s a success and we’re expecting more (from the rookie).”</p><p>For a Grizzlies team built around grit, hustle, and collective success, Edey’s ability to contribute to winning basketball—whether through rim protection, rebounding, or simply clogging the lane—has been a welcome addition. The rookie’s per-minute production may go overlooked by the national media but he has no doubt caught the attention of future postseason opponents.</p><p>Edey’s towering presence has already disrupted All-World offensive talents, with his 1.2 blocks per game just scratching the surface of how much the Canadian can alter shots. Offensively, Edey’s screening and rim gravity have quietly opened opportunities for teammates, even as he continues refining his footwork and perimeter skills. It is easy to understand why Jenkins seems content to let Edey’s development unfold naturally in this unique, non-pick-and-roll heavy offense.</p><p>Landing spots are everything for NBA Draft lottery picks. While some coaches might be tempted to heap expectations on a high lottery pick, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-rookie-zach-edey-2025-top-25-nba-big-man-bracket-all-star-break">Grizzlies are playing the long game with Zach Edey</a>. No deadlines, no checklists—just a focus on steady improvement and winning basketball. If early returns are any indication, that approach might just prove to be a winning formula for both the rookie and the Grizzlies.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies refuse to give ‘phenomenal’ rookie Zach Edey midseason grade

<!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-rookie-zach-edey-2025-top-25-nba-big-man-bracket-all-star-break');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey inching into 2025 top-25 NBA big-man bracket');   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/Grizzlies-news-Zach-Edey-inching-into-top-10-NBA-big-man-bracket.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey inching into 2025 top-25 NBA big-man bracket</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-11T17:28:12-08:00">February 11th, 5:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-11T17:28:12-08:00">February 11th, 5:28pm</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 NBA’s 82-game regular season is well past the halfway mark but the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/why-grizzlies-taylor-jenkins-should-preserve-ja-morant-overall-health-new-rotations-jaren-jackson-jr">Memphis Grizzlies are still figuring out the priorities</a>. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are seemingly primed for another Western Conference Finals run. The trio chemistry’s has been interrupted by injuries for years now but a deep supporting cast has buoyed a top-two season so far. For example, as most rookies hit a proverbial wall, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-giving-ja-morant-zach-edey-room-work-pick-roll-actions-offense">Zach Edey’s quick learning has given the Grizzlies</a> a tremendous game-tilting boost.</p><p>With impressive size, rebounding prowess, and evolving offensive game, Edey is doing more than positioning himself as a potential franchise-building block type of center before the 2025 NBA All-Star break. Edey is steadily climbing the ranks among the league’s big men. The per-game, per-36-minute, and per-100-possession stats show how the 7-foot-4 phenom deserves Top 25 consideration when discussing the league’s most fearsome frontcourt talents.</p><p>Edey is averaging 9.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.7 steals in 20.7 minutes per game. Edey’s 7.6 rebounds per game rank 30th among centers; the 1.2 blocks per game (21st) further underscore the overall paint-patrolling, rim-protecting potential. Averaged out, the Grizzlies have the outline of a top-25 as a baseline. That is a great start to the relationship after the front office’s 2024 NBA Draft gamble.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies, Zach Edey adjusting along the way</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Victor-Wembanyama_16d8f6.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Wachter-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Zach Edey has started 31 of 38 games and posted a 58.0% field goal percentage. A somewhat surprising 38.9% mark from beyond the arc (albeit on limited attempts) shows a developing outside game. These numbers are impressive for a rookie, especially considering he was thrown into some situations a bit early due to injuries. When <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced?TeamID=1610612763&amp;PerMode=Per36" rel="noopener">normalized to a per-36-minute basis</a> (min. 30 games played), Edey’s stats paint an even clearer picture of his potential as a dominant big man.</p><ul><li>17.0 points (23rd)</li><li>13.3 total rebounds (10th)</li><li>5.7 offensive rebounds (1st)</li><li>58.9% Field Goal Attempts (13th)</li><li>35.9% Three-Point Attempts (14th)</li><li>2.19 blocks (9th)</li><li>1.7 assists (49th)</li></ul><p>These figures suggest Edey (42nd in minutes per 36) could produce at a level comparable to some of the league’s top centers with better cardio and discipline. Those are two easily coachable areas for any rookie. Assists stand out as well but it takes time to get up to NBA speed after all. Seeing the play and being able to make the play go right back to cardio and discipline.</p><p>Per-100-possession stats provide a possession-adjusted view of a player’s contributions, accounting for pace and playing style. Edey’s numbers in this metric are equally compelling (min. 30 games played).</p><ul><li>21.5 points (29th)</li><li>16.9 total rebounds (18th)</li><li>7.2 offensive rebounds (5th)</li><li>2.6 blocks (16th)</li><li>2.2 assists(57th)</li></ul><p>Edey’s 21.5 points per 100 possessions are comparable to Onyeka Okongwu, Jakob Poeltl, and Jarrett Allen. Clint Capela, Nic Claxton, and Walker Kessler are just below Edey as a scoring threat. Grabbing 16.9 rebounds per 100 possessions ranks above Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, and Rudy Gobert.</p><p>The best part for Jenkins and the Grizzlies though? Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been able to work efficiently with Edey’s skill set.</p><h2><b>Zach Edey fitting in with Ja Morant</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-Zach-Edey-Ja-Morant.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Zach Edey’s statistical profile is only part of the story. The rookie’s role within the Grizzlies’ system has evolved throughout the season, as noted by Taylor Jenkins and Ja Morant. Initially seen as a traditional back-to-the-basket center, Edey has adapted to a more modern role requiring some nimbleness. Focusing on rim running, short rolls, rebounding, rim protection, and cutting rather than low-post touches is more important than low-block bullying.</p><p>This shift aligns with the Grizzlies’ high-paced offense, which ranks first overall in pace (104.49). Edey’s ability to thrive in this system despite it being a stark contrast to his college role at Purdue demonstrates elite versatility and willingness to grow.</p><p>Over his last five games, he has averaged 10.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks/steals in 19.7 minutes, including a standout 16-point, 14-rebound, three-steal game against Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs. That followed a 14-point, 11-rebound night against Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. These numbers suggest that Edey is becoming more comfortable at the NBA level and is poised for a breakout second half of the season.</p><p>Current top-25 centers include stars like Jokić, Embiid, and Anthony Davis, as well as reliable veterans like Gobert, Jonas Valančiūnas, and Capela. Edey’s per-36-minute and per-100-possession stats already place him in the same statistical range as many of these players, particularly in rebounding and shot-blocking.</p><p>Edey still faces challenges, including improving his defensive mobility and physicality against quicker opponents. These struggles are not uncommon for rookies, especially those adjusting to the speed and complexity of NBA defenses. However, those flaws will be under an intense spotlight during the NBA Playoffs.</p><p>Still, Zach Edey’s debut has been encouraging, a promising start to what could be a stellar NBA career. His per-game stats demonstrate his ability to contribute effectively in limited minutes, while the per-36-minute and per-100-possession numbers highlight All-Star potential. Although the Grizzlies are still balancing out how to best integrate the new big man, the rookie is already inching closer to being recognized as a top-25 talent.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey inching into 2025 top-25 NBA big-man bracket

<!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-giving-ja-morant-zach-edey-room-work-pick-roll-actions-offense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies must perfect Ja Morant-Zach Edey ‘balancing act’ before NBA Playoffs');   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/2025/02/Grizzlies-news-Why-Memphis-must-perfect-Ja-Morant-Zach-Edey-balancing-act-before-NBA-Playoffs.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies must perfect Ja Morant-Zach Edey ‘balancing act’ before NBA Playoffs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-05T10:02:13-08:00">February 5th, 10:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-05T10:02:13-08:00">February 5th, 10:02am</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/grizzlies-news-memphis-exploring-gg-jackson-unlock-everything-amid-injury-return-taylor-jenkins-nba">muscled-up Memphis Grizzlies have transformed the offense</a> around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. this season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-memphis-educating-zach-edey-game-engagment">Incorporating Zach Edey into the Grizzlies locker room</a> was always going to take some time. Veering away from the traditional point-guard-center pick-and-roll action that dominates the modern NBA created an extra layer to the challenge. However, after a big win over Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs, Taylor Jenkins sounds <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEekiqeI3OE" rel="noopener">ready to feature</a> the Morant-Edey pairing more often moving forward.</p><p>“It’s something we’ve been discussing a lot internally trying to figure out the balancing act,” Jenkins admitted. “Obviously with (Ja Morant’s) supreme skills in the pick-and-roll department play-making and scoring, I thought he set a tone. On the ball and off the ball, (Morant) was knocking down shots. He was playing with pace in the full-court court.”</p><p>For the Grizzlies, this isn’t just about executing a somewhat predictable play to keep defenses honest; it’s about mastering it in a way that leverages Morant and Edey’s unique skill sets successfully. Time is running out for the rookie though, and Jenkins knows it. This intricate dance of speed, strategy, and sheer physicality has approximately 30 games to get aligned before jumping onto the NBA Playoffs track.</p><p>“That (pick-and-roll) chemistry with (Zach Edey) is something we’ve been meaning to unlock, spending time with over the past couple of weeks especially as we’ve figured out our principles and pace,” shared Jenkins. “This is an advantage creator for us.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ja-Morant-Zach-Edey-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Well, it can be if Edey can keep up for more than 20 minutes. The speed at which Morant and the Grizzlies want to play usually disrupts defenses even before the pick-and-roll has a chance to develop. Jenkins knows the pick-and-roll will be a useful fallback plan once the game slows down in the postseason. The franchise’s record-holder for wins cannot wait to see how things play out.</p><p>“Obviously Ja benefitting getting downhill, getting shots off, and those assists to Zach,” Jenkins began. “Eventually that is going to open up closeouts to the three-point line because of the gifts Ja has in those situations. It’s awesome to see and we are going to keep pouring into that and finding that balancing act so we can be diversified with our offense overall.”</p><p>It’s a work in progress, as Jenkins noted, with a specific focus over the past weeks to refine their timing and understanding of each other’s moves. Still, Zach Edey’s size and smooth rolls to the rim open up lanes for Ja Morant to create highlight opportunities for everyone. The pairing just needs more time to get on the same page before any high-pressure Game 7 situations.</p><p>Thankfully, the Grizzlies (34-16) are sitting in second place and have a bit of a cushion in the Western Conference standings. There should be enough time to sort everything out in this balancing act.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
9.2	8.3	1.0	1.3	0.5

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
9.2	8.3	1.0	1.3	0.5

Zach Edey news

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Edey news