The Grizzlies are still sorting through a crowded camp, and the message from the top is clear: nobody is getting handed anything.
Memphis has 18 players competing for 15 roster spots, and general manager Zach Kleiman isn’t rushing the process. At media day, he said, “I think competition is healthy, obviously we will have to make some cuts at some point in time,” Kleiman said at media day. “There is no set calendar, there is no time where that has to be... we are going to keep a very open mind going into camp.”
That open-minded approach is already showing up in how the rotation could take shape, especially around the second unit. Scotty Pippen Jr. was working with the starters on Day One of training camp, and ESPN currently projects him as a starter. If that carries into preseason, he could be the guy setting the tone early, with Ty Jerome shifting into a high-end bench role.
Pippen Jr. earned that kind of look last season. In 21 starts, he put up 14.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 46.1% from three.
He was even sharper in the playoffs against the eventual champion Thunder. Jerome, meanwhile, already showed he can handle a bigger load if Memphis needs him in the starting group.
Behind those two, the first bench wave could be built around scoring, spacing and versatility. The group could feature whichever of Wells or Grant doesn’t start, with Jackson bringing another shot-creator off the bench. Jackson is in a contract year, and Memphis is hoping this is the season he turns into the player many believed he could be when he entered the league as a rookie.
The frontcourt combination of Hendricks and Stewart gives the second unit a different look. It’s a defensive-minded pairing that brings flexibility even without a true seven-footer. Hendricks averaged 10.6 points and 4.7 rebounds after coming over in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, while Stewart posted 10 points, five rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for Detroit last season.
There’s also a lower-usage group that leans on shooting and punch off the dribble. That could include Spencer and Small, who flashed big scoring ability in Summer League with a 26-point, seven-assist performance against Golden State.
Lopez, the 21st pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, missed most of Summer League with a left hamstring strain, so he may need more time to get comfortable in the NBA during preseason - though he should get a chance if he’s fully healthy. Prosper and Post are part of that secondary bench mix as well.
Still, none of those players are locked into a fixed lane. Kleiman said the staff is still figuring out who fits where, and some of these names could end up fighting for the first few spots off the bench rather than settling into a deeper reserve role.
Mashack is one of the more useful wild cards in the group. Last season, he averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 31 games, and he showed he can fill in anywhere Memphis needs him.
Carson Cooper, who recently signed a two-year two-way deal after joining the team in Summer League, brings another defensive body and some immediate physicality. He also had a memorable Summer League showing, including a two-hand slam and a 16-point game in the championship setting.
Clayton Jr. is back healthy for his sophomore season after missing Summer League with a knee injury. He came to Memphis in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, showed some promise in Utah, and then struggled with efficiency late last season in Memphis.
Hawkins and Peavy arrived from New Orleans in a September trade, but Peavy’s early chances took a hit when he turned his ankle at media day. Kleiman said it will still be some time before the team gets a full look at him.
Murray, another new Grizzly and part of the return in the Morant trade, is also still trying to carve out his place. He said a fresh start could help, and when asked what he wants to show at camp, he said, “Just be myself.”
For now, that’s the reality in Memphis: a long list of players, a short list of openings, and no one quite settled into a final role yet. As Kleiman put it, “Some of these guys we have been able to spend more time with closely here, some we have been scouting and evaluating from afar,” Kleiman said. “Excited to keep an open mind and we will make decisions when we need to make them.”