Memphis Grizzlies: 5 takeaways from the first week of preseason
By Greg Cassoli
4. Mario Chalmers looks the part of a backup point guard
Mario Chalmers didn’t play professional basketball last year. He spent it recovering from an Achilles injury he sustained in the 2015-16 season. Questions about the effectiveness with which he might be able to play in his return rightfully abounded. He’s answered them robustly thus far.
Chalmers was particularly good against the Magic, turning in a 19-point, two-assist performance off the bench, in which he shot 7-for-10 from the field, 1-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. He looked as crafty as always, leveraging his feel for the game to overcome any athletic disadvantages.
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He won’t be that player every night for the Grizzlies, and wasn’t in the team’s second matchup with Philadelphia. That’s to be expected. No one shoots 70 percent from the field every time out, but the fact he was productive at all was meaningful.
Memphis has some fairly big holes in its guard rotation, and having a steady backup point guard this year would be a huge step forward from what Andrew Harrison and Wade Baldwin combined to give the team last season. Chalmers gives them competence as a lead ball-handler that neither have demonstrated to date.
Memphis may still have that role slotted for Tyreke Evans. Chris Herrington suggested that the Grizzlies hoped to use him as sixth man in a recent episode of the Dunc’d On Basketball NBA Podcast. Even if that is the case, Chalmers’ ability as a shooter makes him all the more appealing. He has a broad enough skill-set to find a way to contribute in almost any context, and appears to be healthy enough to do so. That’s a hugely helpful development for Memphis.