Even though expectations are relatively low for the Memphis Grizzlies going into the 2026-27 season, there is a lot to be excited about as the team enters the Cameron Boozer era.
One Western Conference scout seems to think the Grizzlies have a lot of strong pieces in place, telling Heavy Sports that the squad is just a "point guard away."
“They are a point guard away," the scout said. "They loaded up on size, they are just going to hammer you with big guys. I love what Cam Boozer brings, they got some toughness with [Quinten] Post and [Isaiah] Stewart. You’ve still got [Zach] Edey. They just need that point guard to tie it all together. I thought they should have tried to get that in the draft, but they made size their priority.”
The Grizzlies lost their longtime cornerstone at point guard this offseason when they traded away Ja Morant. While many can likely agree that his time with the team had run its course, his production will still be missed, as he was a special talent when at his best. He finished his Memphis tenure as a two-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selectee.
As of now, the Grizzlies' top options at point guard are Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome.
Both have shown flashes but were limited by injuries last season. Pippen appeared in 10 games, averaging 11.4 points, 4.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds per contest. Jerome made 15 appearances, averaging 19.7 points, 5.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds per night.
Pippen, for his part, has put together a solid resume in a few seasons at the NBA level, producing at a level similar to how he played last season in his limited action. Jerome, meanwhile, has become a late-blooming success story, as he challenged for the Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2024-25 campaign before looking good in his 15 games last season.
Whether Pippen and/or Jerome can give Memphis what it's looking for at point guard this coming season remains to be seen, but both of them appear to have high hopes for the 2026-27 Grizzlies. Pippen has said that the team is going to be very exciting, and Jerome has said that Memphis is eyeing a playoff bid despite long odds.
Whether those goals materialize or not, the Grizzlies are entering a bit of a grace period where growing pains are to be expected. They are amid a major transition as Boozer essentially takes the reins from Morant. In due time, the hope is that the vision will turn into sustainable success, but it might not happen overnight.
Memphis may need to invest in the point guard position at some point (as the anonymous scout seems to think), but the team does have some internal options that it may want to evaluate since injuries got in the way last season.
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