Predicting the Memphis Grizzlies’ Final 2014-15 Roster

By Nathan Grubel @The_Only_Grubes on October 22, 2014

The Memphis Grizzlies have definitely had their ups and downs in the preseason (yes I know, the preseason barely matters), but this is a veteran team that is capable of going on a legitimate NBA Finals run. The trio of guard Mike Conley, forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol is one to truly be reckoned with, as all three players complement each other both offensively and defensively. Conley is a more than capable distributor of the basketball, Randolph is a low-post scorer capable of getting buckets in pressure situations, and Gasol is an all-around big man who can facilitate and step out and hit the mid-range jump shot in order to help spread the floor for Randolph to operate. The best thing about the Grizzlies’ big three is that each one of them is willing to play defense, which means contesting shots, rotating on defense and communicating what is going on to the other players on the floor. With these players as the foundation, the Grizzlies have solid ground to build the rest of their roster upon.

When looking outside of that core, it starts with the wing spots. Tony Allen, Quincy Pondexter and Courtney Lee will all get major minutes in the rotation, as all of them play consistent defense and can score in different situations. Tayshaun Prince is another veteran wing player who will make the team, but will truly be fighting for minutes, as he has aged and is not as reliable on both ends of the floor as he once was.

As for the back-up point guard spot, Nick Calathes will look to do some damage once he returns from his suspension for violating the NBA drug policy. Rookies Jordan Adams and Jarnell Stokes will also be in play in terms of making the roster and potentially having an impact in the rotation, as both players have high upsides and skills that may allow them to contribute right out of the gate.

Oh, did I forget to mention the flashy Vince Carter, who signed with the Grizzlies this offseason? Carter will likely be the sixth man off the bench for Memphis, and could be the most important player on the team outside of any of the core trio because of his scoring ability and veteran leadership.

The rest of the bench mob should shake out rather nicely, with experienced players Kosta Koufos, Beno Udrih and Jon Leuer being the most valuable out of the rest of the bunch. That leaves one more roster spot, which I would predict goes to rookie guard Kalin Lucas out of Michigan State. Lucas is a heady guard capable of being a temporary spark plug off the bench, and with Calathes starting out the season in street clothes, the Grizzlies will need another backup point guard on the roster, and Lucas fills that bill.

The Grizzlies have the players to really be a force in the Western Conference. Only time will tell if the team can stay healthy and do enough on offense to match their top-tier defense in order to make a deep postseason run.

Nathan Grubel is a Memphis Grizzlies writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @The_Only_Grubes, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.