There wasn't a better story than the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019-20. The team was in eighth place in the rugged Western Conference standings despite having no All-Stars on the team.
The Grizzlies were led by talented youngsters Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Ja was putting up 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists before the season was suspended, while JJJ was averaging 16.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 54 games before suffering a knee injury.
Memphis’ future is bright with Morant, Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Justise Winslow, Brandon Clarke, Tyus Jones and veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas leading the charge. However, Memphis needs to surround Morant and Jackson Jr. with more shooters, as the Grizzlies only made 710 triples as a team before the season was put into a halt — that was 23rd in the NBA.
San Antonio Spurs veteran sharpshooter Marco Belinelli becomes an unrestricted free agent whenever the 2020 offseason period begins. He's a player the Grizzlies should look to sign if the money makes sense for both sides.
Belinelli averaged 5.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists for the Spurs this season. He shot 39.1 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from beyond the arc, and 78.0 percent from the free-throw line. He's the perfect veteran shooter to come off the Grizzlies’ bench and light it up from deep when Morant and Jackson Jr. collapse the defense.
The 34-year-old is a career 37.6 percent shooter from 3.
Marco flourishes in catch-and-shoot situations. He would get a bevy of those types of shots in Memphis since Morant is a special passer and always drawing multiple defenders when he puts his head down and drives to the basket.
Belinelli's presence alone from the perimeter will create driving lanes for Ja and make it easier for him to get to the cup since Marco will be bringing his defender out of the paint with his shooting prowess.
Behind Morant and Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies have an explosive offense, something we never saw from the old Memphis teams led by Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, and Zach Randolph. The Grizzlies were averaging 112.6 points per game this season, which was good for 13th place in the league.
With Belinelli in the fold, the Grizzlies' guard and bench depth would improve instantly. He has career averages of 9.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. He also has playoff experience under his belt and would be a good mentor for the youngsters in Memphis.
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