The Memphis Grizzlies’ 2026 NBA Summer League run ended with a 4-2 record and a fifth-place finish in Las Vegas, but the real value was always in the evaluation. For a team in rebuild mode, the point was to get a long look at the young talent that could help shape the post Ja Morant era.
At the top of the list was Cedric Coward, who put together a strong all-around showing at 6’5 and 215 pounds. He averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 50% from the field, 36.4% from three and 66.7% from the line.
Coward looked like a steady veteran even though this is only his second year in the league. He got to his spots, scored without forcing the issue and showed a strong feel for moving without the ball.
The handle still needs work, and that remains his biggest area to clean up, but his defensive impact stood out. He was a top-flight defender on and off the ball, and his rebounding was a major plus for a wing.
He finished second on the summer league team in rebounds, and he and his backcourt teammates were active 94 feet all summer league long.
Khaman Boozer made a loud impression in his rookie summer. Listed at 6’10 and 250 pounds, he averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 45.2% overall, 33.3% from deep and 77.3% at the line.
Boozer looked mature beyond his years and much more fluid off the bounce than his college film suggested. He scored in a variety of ways, often starting farther from the basket, and his basketball IQ showed up possession after possession.
He was second on the team in scoring, first in rebounding and third in assists. The concerns are on the low post and around the rim, where he offers almost no rim protection, but he makes up for a lot with his processing speed and positioning.
He gets steals because he is usually in the right place, including the on-ball takeaway from fellow rookie Caleb Wilson from the Chicago Bills when he picked him up 94 feet from the basket. The opinion here was clear: he will be an NBA All-Star within his first three seasons.
Javon, at 6’1 and 190 pounds, gave Memphis a steady table-setter. He posted 13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists, shooting 41.4% from the floor, 36.4% from three and 92.3% on free throws.
His case is straightforward: he is trying to lock down a role as a backup point guard who helps a team win. The finishing in the lane is still a problem, but the jumper has become much more consistent.
He ran the offense with a near 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in summer league and even rebounded above his size. Defensively, he played with the kind of edge that stands out right away, hounding the ball 94 feet and compensating for his lack of size with intelligence and toughness.
Prosper, listed at 6’7 and 230 pounds, averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 43.5% from the field, 28.6% from three and 57.1% from the foul line. The encouraging part is that he appears to have moved past the injuries.
The rest of the package, though, was uneven. For someone with his size and athletic tools, the rebounding, efficiency and playmaking were not where they needed to be.
His finishing at the rim has to improve, and the shooting numbers from deep and at the stripe need to come up. Defensively, he still has plenty to prove.
The tools are there - height, strength and speed - but the production in terms of shot blocking, off-ball steals and on-ball pressure was limited.
Mashack rounded out the group as the kind of player coaches trust. At 6’4 and 203 pounds, he averaged 6.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists, shooting 35.7% from the field, 42.9% from three and 77.8% from the line.
He was described as a winning player, someone who makes the timely play and can really shoot it, especially from the corner. He is undersized for a wing and not built to do much damage in the paint, which makes him best suited to play alongside a creator and facilitator.
On defense, he has a knack for jumping passing lanes and making hustle plays, and there is real potential for him to become a bench contributor.
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