Cam Boozer is only two Summer League games into his Memphis run, but the Grizzlies already have a pretty clear idea of what they’ve added. The third overall pick in this year’s draft has flashed the kind of all-around game that made him a standout at Duke, and the early returns suggest Memphis may have found a player who can help accelerate its rebuild.
The numbers are solid enough on their own: 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4 assists in 25.5 minutes per game. But the bigger takeaway is how much of an imprint Boozer has made without needing a massive touch count. He’s still not even 19 years old yet - he’ll turn that age later this month - and he’s already showing the kind of poise that comes with being in the spotlight for years.
That matters in Memphis, where the pressure will come fast. Boozer was taken third overall, and the Grizzlies also recently traded away fan favorite Ja Morant.
That combination raises the bar immediately. Still, Boozer has been living with big expectations since his high school recruiting days, and nothing about his first two games suggests the moment is too big for him.
What stands out most is how complete he looks. Boozer has shown real passing vision, and his jumper has been one of the most encouraging parts of his start. The shot looks smooth, and the release appears quicker than it did at Duke.
That showed up most clearly in the matchup against second overall pick Darryn Peterson, a game that went Peterson’s and Utah’s way. Even so, Boozer still put together a strong line: 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists on 6-for-9 shooting. He also knocked down 4 of 5 threes, which only strengthened the case that his perimeter game is translating.
That’s an important development because it pushes back on the idea that Boozer is limited offensively. He made 39% of his threes at Duke, but there were fair questions about how much volume he could handle from deep. So far, he’s answered those with confidence and comfort beyond the arc.
There were also some of the expected rookie growing pains. Questions about his verticality and on-ball perimeter defense showed up a bit, but he still battled on the boards and used active hands to stay involved defensively. Even in a game where his usage was lower than it will be once the regular season starts, he still found ways to leave a mark.
The reduced touches also fit the moment. Cedric Coward and Javon Small are getting valuable on-ball reps right now, and Memphis doesn’t need to force Boozer into every possession in July. Once the regular season arrives, his role should be much bigger, and the early signs point to him fitting well alongside Cedric Coward and, soon, Zach Edey.
For all the buzz around how strong the 2026 NBA Draft class could be, Boozer is already making a case to be one of the early Rookie of the Year frontrunners. After two games in Utah Summer League, the Grizzlies have every reason to feel good about what they’re seeing.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Just Sent A Clear Message About Who Matters Next
The Grizzlies took a different look in their third Salt Lake City Summer League game on July 7, choosing to rest several players who had handled the first two outings and giving the finale a more experimental feel. Memphis still had enough firepower to stay competitive for stretches, but the rotation shift made the night feel less about the scoreboard and more about which pieces the organization wanted to protect and evaluate next.
Memphis fell to the Hawks 96-82, with Brendan Hausen providing the scoring punch, while Taylor Hendricks returned after sitting out the previous game because of injury. The bigger picture now turns to Las Vegas, where the Grizzlies are expected to get their rested players back and continue sorting out who is actually part of the next wave. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Fans Have One Big Question About Memphis Latest Trade
Khris Middletons move to Washington is only part of a sprawling sign-and-trade that has tied together the Wizards, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Pistons, Clippers and Bucks, and Memphis is right in the middle of it. For Grizzlies fans, the headline is less about where Middleton ended up and more about what the team chose to take back in the shuffle, since the franchise used a complicated multi-team deal to add another layer to its offseason work.
The real question now is how Memphis plans to handle the incoming guard piece and the draft capital attached to the trade. The Grizzlies have been active in reshaping the roster around their core, and this kind of move usually signals flexibility as much as it does a clear long-term fit, which is why the next step here matters almost as much as the trade itself. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Just Made Their Riskiest Frontcourt Bet Yet
The frontcourt shuffle in Memphis took another turn after the Grizzlies sent Santi Aldama to Dallas in a deal that brought back AJ Johnson, a protected 2030 first-round pick and two future second-round picks, along with the draft rights to EuroLeague forward Tarik Biberovi going to the Mavericks. Aldama had become a useful piece for Memphis before a knee injury interrupted his momentum, and moving him now signals the Grizzlies are willing to rework that part of the roster rather than simply wait for it to heal itself.
Quinten Post is the next name to watch, with Memphis moving quickly to a three-year offer sheet for the restricted free agent. Golden State now has the chance to decide whether to keep him, and that waiting period leaves the Grizzlies in a familiar spot for a team trying to patch together size and spacing on the fly. If the Warriors pass, Memphis may have found a way to soften the blow of losing Aldama. If they do not, the risk in this frontcourt bet gets even harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]