Memphis Grizzlies season review: David Roddy, Kenneth Lofton Jr. show flashes as rookies
Youthfulness provided gloom and doom for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2022-23 season.
When the Grizzlies were tied with the Denver Nuggets for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference midway through January, it looked like their team chemistry was unmatched. As injuries and off-the-court issues unfolded over the last three months, questions about veteran leadership arose.
The Grizzlies had a chance to add more veteran players before the season, but they chose to trade De’Anthony Melton, not re-sign Kyle Anderson and add five rookies.
One of those rookies, Kennedy Chandler, is no longer with the Grizzlies. Memphis needed depth at center, so it signed fellow rookie Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a standard contract that would make him eligible to play in the postseason. Since the roster was full, Chandler was released as the corresponding move.
That about sums up the year for the Grizzlies’ rookies, but there is a lot to reflect on through injuries, flashes and hope for the future.
OFFSEASON CHANGES: An aggressive offseason could signal the end for key Memphis Grizzlies role players
FREE AGENT FITS: 5 free agents Memphis Grizzlies could target to replace Dillon Brooks
GIANNOTTO: Snub or not, Ja Morant's all-NBA miss should be good for the Memphis Grizzlies | Giannotto
Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Lofton’s first regular season ended with a 42-point performance on 17-for-25 shooting that included 14 rebounds. His soft touch and knack for rebounding stood out in his first season. Lofton showed good hands defensively, but his 6-foot-7 height at center showed up in matchups against other physically dominant centers who were taller. While fans sometimes chanted toward the Grizzlies bench to play Lofton, his defense and the adjustment of playing the Grizzlies' fast-paced style were major factors in why he rarely saw rotation minutes. From March until the end of the season, Lofton showed several flashes' of why he belongs in the NBA.
Jake LaRavia
The first two weeks of Jake LaRavia’s rookie season showed glimpses of what he can be at the NBA level. After that, injuries and opportunity limited his impact. He played well in the G League with the Memphis Hustle. LaRavia took more than seven 3-pointers per game with the Hustle and made more than 36%. That’s what the Grizzlies want to see him doing.
David Roddy
David Roddy holds the crown as the rookie who got the most playing time. He was quickly thrust into a role in which he became a prominent defender asked to guard Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson and LeBron James. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins was high on Roddy’s defense before his rookie season. The physicality and lateral quickness of the nimble 250-pound forward stood out. He also wasn’t afraid to shoot despite mixed results. Anytime a rookie isn’t hesitant to shoot, that’s considered a positive.
Vince Williams Jr.
Williams has the most roster uncertainty of the rookies heading into next season. He profiled as a three-and-D wing coming out of college, and that’s exactly what he showcased with the Hustle. He shot 45.7% on 3-pointers in eight games and was one of the team’s best defenders. Williams didn’t get much of a chance to showcase his game with the Grizzlies. In that small sample size, he shot 4-for-28 on 3-pointers across 15 games.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: How the Memphis Grizzlies' rookies fared during the 2022-23 season
