The Memphis Grizzlies open their season tonight at 8:00PM EST against the Utah Jazz, and one of the biggest questions hanging over the roster is how much instant help they’ll get from this rookie class. Memphis dealt with bad injury luck last season, and now the franchise is trying to keep building around a young core with another promising group of newcomers.
The rookie drawing the most attention is Cam Boozer, the bruising forward out of Duke who is following in his father’s, Carlos Boozer, footsteps in the NBA. The fit in Memphis looks clean on paper and, based on the preseason, it looked just as smooth on the floor.
In my evaluations I often said, that Boozer may never be an all-NBA player, but he will be a multiple time all-star for years to come. He just might be the best fit for the Grizzlies team.
Boozer’s biggest selling point is how quickly he sees the game. He processes what’s happening almost immediately, which is why he can slide into different lineup combinations without needing touches to stay useful.
He’s comfortable as a connector, a hub, and someone who can keep the offense moving without dominating the ball. If the three-point shot is there, the high-low game with Zach Edey could become a real problem for opponents.
In the preseason, Boozer averaged 3 assists per game.
The numbers from tune-up action back up the eye test. He put up 14 points per game and grabbed 5.5 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game. He also showed he can handle the ball better than expected, looking more fluid off the dribble than many would have projected at this point in his development.
Once he gets into the paint, Boozer leans on craft and strength rather than burst. He’s not explosive, but he is smart and rugged, and that helped him get to the foul line. He averaged 6 free throw attempts per game in limited minutes.
That kind of versatility is why he could matter so much for Memphis right away. The Grizzlies have a promising foundation with Cedrick Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Boozer now in the mix, and the appeal is simple: he fits. He doesn’t need the ball, and that makes everything around him easier.
There are still reasons for caution. If Edey were to miss time again, a pairing of Boozer and Quinten Post could leave Memphis without much interior punch.
Boozer isn’t offering a lot in the post because he lacks explosiveness, and Post is more of an outside player. In that case, you’d probably see more Cedrick Coward post-ups than Boozer, since Boozer’s game is built more on intelligence, craft and strength than a deep bag of post moves.
Not every rookie in this group is ready to help immediately. Lopez is viewed as a project, and he’s not expected to make an impact this season.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he spends most of the year in the G-league. His size and wingspan are intriguing, but he still needs major work on his shooting, ball handling and overall understanding of the NBA game.
Then there’s Richie, whose situation remains unresolved. He is still unsigned after being drafted out of BYU because of the ACL injury he suffered in college.
The team wants him on a two-way contract with little guaranteed money because of the injury, while Richie wants assured money, and the two sides remain at a stand still until he gets healthy. Memphis has this year to work out a deal, or Richie could wind up re-entering next year’s draft or becoming a rookie free agent if the team renounces his rights.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Just Sent A Harsh Message About Walter Clayton
Walter Clayton has found a new landing spot, and it comes after a brief, uneasy stop in Memphis. The Mavericks officially signed the guard to a two-way contract, giving him a path forward after the Grizzlies waived him and other teams had reportedly been in the mix once Dallas opened a roster spot.
For Memphis, the move adds another layer to a busy stretch around Clayton, who was taken 18th overall in the 2025 NBA draft and spent time with both the Utah Jazz and Grizzlies last season. His arrival in Memphis was tied to the larger trade landscape around Jaren Jackson Jr., and now the next question is whether the Grizzlies simply moved on too quickly or if this was always headed toward a fresh start elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Guard Fans Know
Walter Clayton Jr. is back on the market after Memphis waived him ahead of the roster deadline, and that has already put a few teams on alert. The former Grizzlies guard is drawing interest around the league, with Dallas and Sacramento among the clubs keeping tabs as they look for backcourt depth and a low-risk addition.
The Mavericks are in a particularly practical position because they still have room to maneuver on a two-way deal, and Claytons next stop may come down to fit as much as opportunity. If he clears waivers, his choice could be shaped by where he sees the clearest path to minutes and development, which makes this one worth watching as the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Opener Brings An Emotional First Test For Utahs New Core
The Grizzlies open the season against Utah with more than a fresh start on the line. It is the first meeting of top draft picks Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer, a neat opening-night hook, but the bigger subplot for Memphis circles back to a familiar face in Jaren Jackson Jr., now on the other side after this summers shake-up. For a team that spent much of last season fighting through injury trouble, the chance to begin this year with better health across the roster adds another layer to an already charged matchup.
Jacksons return gives the game an emotional edge beyond the usual season-opener buzz, especially with Memphis now watching one of its franchise pieces line up against it in a new setting. The Grizzlies have talked all offseason about how different they expect to look when the roster is intact, and this first test comes against a Jazz group trying to build around a new core while absorbing all the weight that comes with it. Even before the ball goes up, it already feels like the kind of night that can tell you a lot about where both teams think they are headed. [Read more 🡒]