Ty Jerome gave the Grizzlies exactly the kind of jolt teams dream about when they dip into free agency - and now Memphis has to answer the tougher question: can that burst last?
Last season made the case in a hurry. Jerome was a real find for the Grizzlies, and after a short but electric run, he left fans with plenty to chew on heading into this year. The fit was obvious from the start, especially in Tuomas Iisalo’s offense, where Jerome’s ability to score at multiple levels and create out of pick-and-roll actions made him look like a natural piece.
There’s also a lot to like about how he could work alongside Zach Edey and now Cam Boozer. Memphis never really got the full picture of Jerome and Edey together in the regular season because injuries kept that pairing off the floor, and that remains one of the big what-ifs from last year.
Still, the central issue is simple: how much of Jerome’s breakout can the Grizzlies count on again?
Before arriving in Memphis, Jerome had already put himself on the radar by finishing third in the Sixth Man of the Year race for the Cavs in the 2024/25 season. Even in Cleveland’s second-round loss to the Pacers, he showed real offensive growth, and the shooting was impossible to ignore.
Then came his Memphis line: three years and $28 million, 15 games, multiple lower-body injuries, and production that still looked excellent when he was on the court. Jerome averaged 19.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in 22.6 minutes per game, while shooting 47.4/42/87.5.
That kind of output makes it easy to see why Memphis felt it had struck gold. But the sample was small, and the usage may not be the same this time around.
Jerome averaged 31.3 points per 36 minutes, a massive jump from the 22.7 he posted in his last season with the Cavs. He’s clearly a scorer, and he’s clearly improved.
The question is whether he can reach that same level with more mouths to feed.
With Cam Boozer in the mix and a healthy Zach Edey now available, Jerome may not have to carry the same load he did during his best stretch last season. That doesn’t mean he’ll disappear. He should still score in double figures, and he gives Memphis another capable playmaker who can run the offense and bend defenses.
Based on the current guard group after the Ja Morant trade, Jerome should be the starting point guard on opening night. Even if the scoring comes down from last season’s pace, he still has the tools to be a major reason the Grizzlies can surprise people this year. For now, though, Memphis probably has to keep its expectations measured when it comes to just how much he’ll score.
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