Cameron Boozer arriving in Memphis already feels like the safest kind of prediction. The No. 3 overall pick comes in with the kind of résumé that makes Rookie of the Year chatter start almost immediately, and in this case it did. Boozer was the consensus National Player of the Year at Duke after putting up 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, and he was viewed as one of the most NBA-ready players in the 2026 draft class.
That’s why the early betting favorite label makes sense, and why the Grizzlies’ situation only adds fuel to the idea. Memphis is entering a new era, and Boozer is set up to play a major role right away.
Winning the award is a fair call. For a list built around bold takes, though, it’s almost the easy one.
The bigger swing is Memphis making a run at the playoffs.
The Grizzlies are coming off a 25-win season, but the roster looks better and deeper now, and there’s no incentive to chase the bottom anymore. The path in the West also leaves room for a surprise.
Beyond the top five teams, the conference gets murky fast, with the Clippers, Kings and Pelicans mentioned as likely teams to round out the bottom. That opens the door for Memphis to push into the mix.
The case starts with the core. Boozer is the headline name, but Zach Edey and Cedric Coward are part of the picture too, and the roster’s upside hinges heavily on health.
If Edey can stay on the floor, a frontcourt pairing with Boozer and Coward could make Memphis one of the league’s best rebounding teams. That’s the kind of edge that can keep a team hanging around in a crowded conference.
There’s also a belief that the offense could look a lot better with everyone available. A full season of Ty Jerome alongside Edey, plus Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cam Spencer coming off the bench at guard, could give the Grizzlies more production than people expect. Tuomas Iisalo’s system is built around guards and bigs working in pick-and-roll, and last season injuries kept Jerome, Pippen and Edey from letting that offense fully breathe.
If Boozer produces immediately, Coward and Edey take steps forward, and the health breaks right, Memphis has a real shot at the nine or 10 seed and a Play-In Tournament spot. One version of the prediction goes even further, saying the Grizzlies can make the playoffs as the No. 10 seed if Cam Boozer is effective and meshes nicely with Zach Edey, who has to play over 65 games in order for a play-in spot to be realistic.
That same outlook also puts pressure on Iisalo’s rotations. The argument is simple: if he keeps his top players on conventional minutes instead of leaning on lineups that resemble hockey shifts, Memphis can surprise. If the substitution patterns once again wreck rhythm and the team falls flat, then the season could go off the rails fast.
In Other News...
Draymond Green Was Closer To Leaving The Warriors Than Fans Knew
Draymond Greens long run in Golden State came closer to an abrupt pivot than most fans realized. The veteran forward said the 2023 offseason opened a door to Memphis, with the possibility of a sign-and-trade giving him a clean path to a new team while the Warriors weighed what his value would look like on the market. For a player who has been one of the franchises defining defenders and emotional constants, it was a reminder that even the most established partnerships can reach a shaky moment behind the scenes.
Memphis was part of the conversation long enough to matter, and the talks carried real stakes for both sides before they faded away. Green ultimately stayed with the Warriors on a one-year, $27.7 million deal, leaving his future in the same place it has often been for Golden State lately, tied to short-term decisions and bigger questions still hanging over the roster. [Read more 🡒]