Memphis Grizzlies: Complete 2018 offseason grades

Drafting Jevon Carter

It’s hard to think of a better candidate to breathe new life into Memphis’s Grit-N-Grind style than Jevon Carter. The toughness he exuded in leading West Virginia’s full-court pressure defense is right in line with what the Grizzlies preach to their players, and his numbers help show that.

In four years at WVU, Carter averaged 2.3 steals per game and wound up leading the Big 12 in total steals three different times, including in 2017-18, when he paced the entire country.

His defensive ability has never been in question, though. What’s less certain is what he can bring to the table offensively. At 22 years old, he’s not as young as some of the other options that were available at the time of his selection, which makes you wonder how much more he can improve.

Carter shot 35.5 percent from beyond the arc in college, but showed improvement over his last two years on campus, shooting 38.9 percent as a junior and 39.3 percent as a senior.

His Summer League percentages were less promising. Over seven games in Vegas, he converted 35 percent of his looks from the field, a larger sample size than the 38 percent he shot in three Utah games. Summer League stats should always be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s always possible the deeper 3-point line forces him to struggle at bit.

The likelihood is that he grades out as an average 3-point shooter, but at the very least, Carter will serve as a solid primary ball-handler off the bench who can make plays for others. While he only averaged 3.9 assists per game in college, his 6.6 dimes per night as a senior were a marked improvement and he rarely turned the ball over (1.8 turnovers per game for his college career).

Like Jackson, Carter will help the Grizzlies right away as long as he earns the playing time. There are currently quite a few guards on the Memphis roster that will all be in the mix for minutes. If Carter can separate himself from the rest of the pack, he should have a positive impact.

Unfortunately, it might be a while until we see Carter on the court. The rookie reportedly ruptured a ligament in his right thumb and will require surgery to repair it.

Grade: B