3. The long-term wing rotation is not currently on the Grizzlies’ roster
Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill are stopgaps, and it appears that Andre Iguodala is in fact not going to suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies this year. The only wings playing significant minutes this week who might fit into the Grizzlies’ long-term plans were Kyle Anderson and Dillon Brooks.
Both have shown growth, but it is apparent that the team will eventually need better perimeter players in order to compete at the highest level.
Brooks is a talented prospect with strong ball skills (particularly for a player who was a second-round draft pick). He has progressed defensively, but struggled to keep up with Zach LaVine in yielding 7 points in only 24.1 possessions on which he was matched up against LaVine in the loss to Chicago.
After losing much of last season to injury, Brooks’ offensive game has thus far appeared rusty, making it imperative that he provide value on the defensive end. Brooks has shown enough in his young career to be considered a valuable backup, but Memphis will eventually need an upgrade.
Kyle Anderson, by contrast, was among the best defensive small forwards in the league last year according to the Matchup-Based Defense model, which takes into account who a player defends as well as how effectively he defends that player.
Despite carrying a heavy defensive load last year, Slo-Mo was very effective due to his quick thinking, quick reflexes and excellent positioning. Due to the physical limitations that earned him his nickname, however, the Grizzlies have attempted to transfer some of the defensive load onto Brooks this season.
With a career shooting line of 49.3/32.6/70.2 at age 26, Anderson does not appear to have much upside left on either end. He is a quality rotation player that can plug a lot of holes, but he is not a true 3-and-D wing or a secondary offense creator. To become a winning team, Memphis will need their wings to fill those roles.
Thus, the Grizzlies will need wings who are not currently on their roster if they hope to become contenders once more.