Memphis Grizzlies: 5 options for pick No. 4 in 2018 NBA Draft
By Mason McFee
4. Marvin Bagley III
The Grizzlies’ leading rebounder for the 2017-18 season was JaMychal Green, who averaged 8.4 rebounds per game. On the surface, it’s a good, but not great number. It gets worse when it’s revealed that Green only played in 55 games, and the Grizzlies ranked 29th in rebounds per game.
Bottom line: The Grizzlies need rebounding help, and Marvin Bagley III would certainly help in that department.
Rebounding is not the only thing that he brings to the table though. He can operate as a ball-handler in the open court, and also has flashed his ability in spurts to be a stretch big. Both will serve him well at the next level, and it’s one of his teammates at the next level that makes for a particularly interesting pairing in the frontcourt.
For his career, Marc Gasol is averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. Not bad for the 7’1″ Spaniard, but also not great. With the league shifting towards the small-ball style of play, Gasol has had to adjust, spending more time out on the perimeter than in the paint. If the Grizzlies opt to take Bagley at no. 4, Gasol could stay out there and extend his career.
Bagley was a tremendous rebounder at Duke last season — averaging 11.1 rebounds per game (with a cool 21.0 points per game to boot) — and will be at the next level too. Bagley is a high-energy, high-impact player who does not take plays off, with shades of Minnesota Timberwolves version of Kevin Love to his game. One of the problems scouts have with Bagley is that he weighs only 234 pounds to go with his 6’11” stature. To that, I would say:
The full seven minutes and 27 seconds do not need to be watched to see the relentless effort Bagley exerts when he plays the game of basketball. While there is some merit to the undersized argument against him, which in turn snowballs into where will he play in the league, playing alongside Gasol would help mitigate his defensive and position-related concerns.
Besides, in a league that is slowly becoming position-less, Bagley would be just fine grinding on Beale Street.