New Memphis Grizzlies guard Josh Christopher has untapped potential, NBA writer says

The NBA is about talent and opportunity. New Memphis Grizzlies guard Josh Christopher is a former first-round pick who oozes potential, but the idea of an opportunity remains to be seen.

Memphis acquired Christopher from the Houston Rockets in a five-team sign-and-trade that involved Dillon Brooks. The deal created a traded player exception, but the idea of bringing on Christopher summoned a lot of questions.

Was it more about the Grizzlies getting Christopher, or the Rockets simply letting him go? Houston had a logjam at guard after the recent additions of Brooks and Fred VanVleet to go with Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. Adding Christopher to the Grizzlies puts the roster at 17 players with standard contracts.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of minutes for him,” said Jonathan Feigen, Houston Rockets beat writer for The Houston Chronicle. “It might have been a mistake to draft seven first-round picks in two years. They weren’t all going to play. He was sort of the odd man out.”

A different offensive skillset

Christopher was known as a talented offensive player through the pre-draft process before landing with the Rockets at the No. 24 pick in 2021. Entering the NBA, he stood out as a transition scorer by averaging 1.37 points per transition possession. That's an area that the Grizzlies have thrived in over the past four seasons under Taylor Jenkins.

What Christopher could bring to Memphis is another player who could score off the dribble. The Grizzlies haven't had a top-10 halfcourt offense in each of the past two seasons in part because they lacked multiple isolation scorers.

“He is definitely a go-get yours kind of player," Feigen said.

Entering his third season with limited playing time, Christopher likely wouldn't be tasked with the all-important ball-handling role at this point of his career. That means he'll have to play off the ball alongside players like Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart and Derrick Rose. Christopher has shot 27.7% on 278 career 3-point attempts, so this part of his game will need to grow to stay in Memphis.

“If he develops that, adding to his ability off off the dribble where he can create for himself, then the rest of it becomes more valuable,” said Feigen. “Struggling to hit threes is tough to overcome.”

Defensive potential

Christopher is 6-foot-5 with a 6-9 wingspan that allows him to guard one through three. He has averaged at least two steals per 100 possessions through his first two seasons, but the sample size is small. Christopher played 18 minutes per game as a rookie, then that number went down to 12.3 this past season.

“They drafted him because they thought he would have a real good chance at being a two-way player," Feigen said. "He’s a big, strong guy at guard. He still had trouble within the scheme, which could come from lack of playing time.”

Roster chances in Memphis?

What Christopher has working in his favor on the Grizzlies' roster is the lack of natural shooting guards. Smart, Morant and Rose are natural point guards. Bane and Luke Kennard profile as the natural shooting guards who are on standard contracts. Having one more player could be beneficial if the Grizzlies elect to start Kennard and Bane together with Smart while Morant is suspended.

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If Christopher makes the roster, it would likely come at the expense of players who were not projected to lose roster spots. John Konchar, Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia are the backup wing options on the bench. Konchar signed a three-year contract extension last season, and the other three players were first-round picks who will be given every opportunity to prove Memphis right before being let go.

Odds are against Christopher, but he has a profile that could bring a different element to Memphis.

"There’s a lot there," Feigen said. "He didn’t have that much of a chance with the Rockets."

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Josh Christopher: Memphis Grizzlies guard has potential, NBA writer says