Memphis Grizzlies has always been, and will always be, a special franchise for Spanish basketball. Now more. After the election of Santi Aldama in the Draft and the arrival of Juancho Hernangómez, the Tennessee team has become the NBA organization with the most national players in its ranks. Pau Gasol was the first, his friend Juan Carlos Navarro the next and his brother, Marc, the last until this summer. Again, the team led by Taylor Jenkins will be one of the biggest focus of attention on the other side of the pond. Due to very different paths, but which may converge at a promising point. Memphis has bet decisively on Aldama. The Canarian player was projected for the last elections of the second round of the Draft and yet he was elected in the pick 30, closing the first. The franchise ignored the predictions and decided to go up for him. In the case of Juancho, the journey has not been so exciting, although it may end up being. After saying goodbye to the Tokyo Olympics, something was sensed. Finally, it has materialized in this landing from the Wolves, where Ricky Rubio will not be either, traded to Cleveland Cavaliers.
From Minnesota, then, the interest travels to Memphis. And there, fans less familiar with the franchise’s later years will find a breath of fresh air. Those who have accompanied the team in its last steps, on the other hand, will await confirmation. Led by Jenkins, the Grizzlies have been performing above expectations for two seasons, reaching the playoffs last season. In 2019-20, they stayed at the gates. They reached the Orlando bubble with eighth place in their hands, but, after a disappointing stint at Disney, they bungled a three-win break that the Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of. The inexperience of a very young group took its toll in moments of high tension. With one more year, the story has been different: he had to play the play-in again, but this time it got over it.
Not even 39 points from Stephen Curry could prevent it. Ja Morant, with 35, prevailed in the individual duel. In addition, chest out in the rival arena, with a 5 out of 10 in triples. Dillon Brooks, with 14 points, was his main squire. In the aforementioned game and in what would remain of the final phase. In it, they could not pass the first round, succumbing in five games against the Utah Jazz, but they showed a claw that, added to the obvious talent, suggested that the team’s cooking point is approaching something dangerous. During the series against the regular-season champions, the Grizzlies relentlessly fell and rose, shattering several double-digit disadvantages in the final quarters. Make mistakes, rectify, learn and win. It is the natural path of the NBA, of life, and the one that the team is following. “There’s nothing to be frustrated about when you’re fighting like this against the best team in the NBA.”Jenkins told the press after the fall was certified. They all go together and with that security that it brings nothing to lose. The coach, then, is growing with the team, the last two seasons being his only experience as head coach. Before that, he had served as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks for six seasons. Be part of that talent that is about to explode.
Juancho and Aldama’s lace
Youth is daring. It is charged with illusion and feels powerful. Youth, however, can reach a point where, without abandoning its essence, it finds balance. A point that makes her aware of her weaknesses and, with it, fearsome in her strengths. In that period these Grizzlies seem to be entering. Morant does not see the ceiling. 19.1 points, 4 rebounds and 7.4 assists increased their benefits in an ascent that dazzles, which started with the award of best rookie of the year and that has been feeding on dunks for the gallery, an unusual handling of the ball and a strong leadership. Brooks, for his part, has taken the leap. In his first season in the best league in the world, he scored 11 goals; in his second, an injury to a toe on his right foot forced him to undergo surgery, leaving him with only 18 games on his counter; In the last two years, he has averaged 16.7 points and has become a player of supreme intensity, very confident in the most committed moments.
They are not the only bastions of hope. Desmond Bane, after his debut year, will offer more. He stayed at 9.2 + 3.1 in 22.3 minutes and was intractable from long distance, with 43.2% success with 4 attempts. In the Summer League, has been one of the sophomores more prominent, prolonging your upline. He has much to offer, with that differential jump waiting. Kyle Anderson somehow found it last year. He improved all his statistical leadership, going from 5.8 + 4.3 + 2.4 to 12.4 + 5.7 + 3.6, and playing all his matches (69) as a starter. They will be “joined” by Jaren Jackson Jr., the other talent named to the captaincy of the cast, alongside Ja, but with only 11 games on his chart. His meniscus said enough and, with it, cut a long-awaited progression in the United States. Member of the Doncic generation, offered a 17.4 + 4.6 in his second year and, now, will add up to, practically, one more reinforcement, an area in which Steven Adams has arrived, at the cost of a very sensitive loss like that of Jonas Valanciunas. From all of them the presumably starting quintet could come out, which could comprise Ja Morant, Brooks, Anderson, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Steven Adams.
From there, Juancho and Santi Aldama will have to fight their minutes. For the Madrilenian, an important role could be reserved from the bench, even as sixth man. With the return of Jaren Jackson, power forward, the positions on the track could be modified compared to last season, with, for example, Brooks adding more minutes as ‘2’ and Anderson settling in ‘3’, where it would be competition direct from the little Hernangómez, who He could also fill the power forward position in quintets with Jackson Jr. of five. In those positions, Ziaire Williams, forward chosen in the tenth position of the Draft.
The presence of the interior of the Canary Islands, for its part, will surely be more progressive. The franchise has shown blind faith in him and his progression (in the last two games of Summer League averaged 26.5 minutes), but every player requires a period of adaptation. In the case of Aldama, especially in the defensive field. In the position of four, paradoxically, he could find Juancho ahead, although the latter seems, mainly, the replacement of Brooks or Anderson. Naturally, he will have to compete, above all, with Xavier Tillman (18.4 minutes last season) and Brandon Clarke (24), behind, obviously, Jaren Jackson, whom he could also run into when settling. more versatile formations without Steven Adams or any pure center, occupying the position of center. In lower categories, Aldama began playing as a point guard. Now, his 2.11 meters in height, combined with the learnings of his early formative stages and his good hand from the perimeter, offer him the possibility of adding minutes in infinite positions. Many of them, surely, to experiment. Jenkins is a brave coach for this and, with the arrival of Juancho, he will also find extra support in the locker room. One that, again, will have a lot of Spanish accent. Hello again, Memphis.
