Zach Edey Articles - Page 2

The Memphis Grizzlies failed to figure out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s Oklahoma City Thunder without Ja Morant (hip) so Tuomas Iisalo’s maiden 2025 NBA Playoff run unfortunately ended sooner than hoped. Yet, amid the first-round exit disappointment, an unlikely hero emerged as a foundational building block. The losses were tough, sure, but Scotty Pippen Jr.’s relentless energy, […]

Zach Edey entered the 2024 NBA Draft as one of the most divisive prospects in recent memory. With the modern NBA trending more towards speed and skilled size, Edey’s game appeared to be a relic of an older period. Edey, who stands at 7’4″ and is listed at 305 lbs., is not the fleetest of […]

It’s too late in the season to get cute with the scouting reports. The best shot at winning a postseason game and Tuomas Iisalo securing the full-time Memphis Grizzlies job is by granting Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. the offensive freedom they crave. Simply put, tailoring the system to maximize their unique talents is […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have undergone notable shifts since promoting Tuomas Iisalo to interim head coach. Not all of them have been a success in the small ten-game sample size provided, including the 121-116 NBA Play-In Tournament loss to the Golden State Warriors. While Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will shoulder most of […]

The firing of Taylor Jenkins on March 28, 2025, and the promotion of Tuomas Iisalo to interim head coach of Ja Morant’s foxhole-fighting Memphis Grizzlies introduced a period of adjustment. This was a team struggling with inconsistency, turnovers, and above .500 teams all season after all, so something had to be done. Thankfully, Morant, Jaren […]

The end of the 2024-25 regular season was not too kind to the Memphis Grizzlies. Facing immense pressure to compete in the stacked Western Conference, the Grizzlies decided to shake things up, firing Taylor Jenkins, their head coach of over half a decade, and giving assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo interim duties. But this did not […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are having a hard time getting everyone on the same page before the NBA Playoffs begin. The most recent setback, a 141-125 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, exposed more than a few flaws with Tuomas Iisalo’s new frontcourt configurations. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey seem to be reading from different […]

The Memphis Grizzlies needed a refresh after falling down the Western Conference standings in their own wayward version of March Madness. Now Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are balancing the ball-handling duties more equitably of late, leaving Jaren Jackson Jr. to do what the Defensive Player of the Year does best. Tuomas Iisalo, who took […]

It is getting hard to ignore how the fifth-placed Memphis Grizzlies have been getting bullied off of the boards and out of the paint recently. Unfortunately, Santi Aldama is more of a sharpshooting, backdoor-cutting swingman who cannot be counted on to come up with rebounds or rim protection consistently. Thankfully, the fix is straightforward. Jaren […]

It’s been a tough 2025 for Ja Morant’s gut-punched Memphis Grizzlies as they keep taking uppercuts to the chin that would make the late George Foreman blush. Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane have all spent time on the shelf due to injuries. Taylor Jenkins has been juggling lineups while remaining uncommittal when it […]

The under-fire Memphis Grizzlies have a problem: they practically give away points to Western Conference foes and the FedEx Forum’s most loyal fans are losing faith. Yes, there are a lot of Fs to go around the grading scale in this locker room. While Taylor Jenkins has noticed some improvement recently, second-chance points, turnovers, fast break […]

A rookie’s fearless approach did not just rattle Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, it ignited Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies and a roaring FedExForum crowd. However, the usual suspects (Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells) took a backseat to Cam Spencer’s trash-talking, which helped Morant propel the Grizzlies to a much-needed 120-118 comeback victory. And forget […]

With about one month left in the 2024-25 NBA season, the Rookie of the Year race appears to have a clear frontrunner. While there hasn’t been a runaway winner in the NBA rookie rankings, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle has stood out during the second half of the season. Although the Spurs aren’t going […]

Memphis Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant has always been a man of the people and he’s no stranger to a funny internet meme when it crosses his sights. All throughout this NBA season, fans have been buzzing about the connection between Morant and rookie center Zach Edey as the two have formed one of the more […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have more than a few problems but thankfully a leadership crisis is not on the list. Injuries top the charts as Jaren Jackson Jr., unable to corral rebounds, has taken to coaching up rookie Zach Edey lately. Jackson Jr., a two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection, has historically anchored Memphis’ top-10 defense. Now […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are facing an uphill battle to stay competitive in the Western Conference playoffs race. They are 3-7 over the last 10 games and now Taylor Jenkins is looking at a stretch without Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) and misfiring Ja Morant (shoulder) in the rotations. Replacing that much of the offense is going […]

As the NBA Playoffs loom on the horizon, Ja Morant’s banged-up Memphis Grizzlies are preparing for another deep postseason run. However, with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s health now uncertain after a rolled ankle, Taylor Jenkins has a not-so-secret weapon in mind: forward Brandon Clarke. Known for his versatility, relentless energy, and a skill set that defies […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are at a crossroads following a gut-wrenching 114-113 road loss to the New York Knicks, a defeat sealed by OG Anunoby’s buzzer-beating three-pointer off a Jalen Brunson assist. The post-NBA All-Star break stretch has been a mixed bag for Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ja Morant’s Grizzlies (38-21), who sit at […]

As the complacency-averting Memphis Grizzlies approach the final stretch of the NBA regular season, Taylor Jenkins faces a high-stakes balancing act: refining the team’s rotation to optimize health, chemistry, and versatility ahead of a postseason run. With the Grizzlies finally healthy after battling years of injuries, Jenkins is tasked with making tough rotational decisions around […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a four-team fight to avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder (46-10) this spring but a gamble last summer has been paying significant dividends. Zach Edey’s upside with Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant was under severe scrutiny given the reliance on a traditional, post-heavy game at Purdue but already looks ready for NBA […]

The action between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse became even hotter in the third quarter when Desmond Bane and Donovan Mitchell got into it while battling for possession of the leather. Players and coaches from both sides along with security personnel tried to get in between, […]

Buy, sell, or hold? It’s the dilemma of every investment from finances to sporting fandom. From front offices to card collector conventions, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane debate rages on after the NBA All-Star break. The Memphis Grizzlies are still learning to appreciate Zach Edey, not to mention their other NBA Rookie […]

The NBA’s 82-game regular season is well past the halfway mark but the Memphis Grizzlies are still figuring out the priorities. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are seemingly primed for another Western Conference Finals run. The trio chemistry’s has been interrupted by injuries for years now but a deep supporting cast has […]

NBA Hall of Famers are hyping the Memphis Grizzlies as potential Western Conference monsters now that the roster is fully healthy. That praise tracks with EVP/GM Zach Kleiman’s decision to stand relatively pat at the trade deadline, signaling a clear bet on the in-house All-Stars and a deep supporting cast. However, while Ja Morant remains […]

The muscled-up Memphis Grizzlies have transformed the offense around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. this season. Incorporating Zach Edey into the Grizzlies locker room was always going to take some time. Veering away from the traditional point-guard-center pick-and-roll action that dominates the modern NBA created an extra layer to the challenge. However, after a […]

Necessity is the mother of all invention, even on the basketball court. Getting around a notoriously unfriendly Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs was going to require a group effort from Ja Morant’s injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies when it came to chopping down the presumptive NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner. Taylor Jenkins has continually found […]

Steph Curry’s three-point barrages broke down barriers in an NBA once dominated by seven-footers and slam dunks. However, the ebb and flow of varying strategies have the high-standard, no-excuses Memphis Grizzlies (31-16) betting big on the towering duo of Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. The small sample size synergy between these two big men […]

As the trade deadline approaches for the Memphis Grizzlies to bolster their roster, fans are wondering what the dream scenario would be. While the Grizzlies try to find the best trades for their team, there is no doubt that the best-case scenario would be for them to land Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. Once again, […]

Opinions on Zach Edey varied wildly going into the 2024 NBA Draft. Not much has been settled since then due to circumstances, schemes, injuries, and some fluctuating rotations. Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies are still teaching Zach Edey the nuances but Taylor Jenkins has been encouraged by what the rookie has picked up over the first […]

Zach Edey’s return atop the NBA Rookie of the Year award ladder did not last long. Just weeks after re-becoming the betting favorite to win the award, the Memphis Grizzlies center has been surpassed by Washington Wizards rookie Alex Sarr. Sarr has the best odds of winning the award on Fanduel Sportsbook. He is priced at […]

The Memphis Grizzlies have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference this year, in part thanks to the next man up mentality. Even while struggling with injuries to some of their key players throughout the season, the Grizzlies have still climbed up into third place in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies were […]

The NBA Playoffs picture is starting to come into focus as most teams approach the midway point of their respective seasons. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are in a decent position but the Memphis Grizzlies are still educating Zach Edey on what is required to win consistently. Thankfully, Taylor Jenkins will get […]

Teams aim to be hitting on all cylinders going into the postseason. Rookies are trying to avoid the proverbial ‘wall’ midway through the regular season though. Thankfully for Zach Edey’s learning curve and the Memphis Grizzlies, everyone is pulling in the same direction without much ego involved. The rookie big man from Purdue explained to […]

Zach Edey has been one of the most polarizing players in all of basketball ever since he burst onto the scene back in his collegiate days. Not too many believed that he can be a keeper for an NBA team considering his mobility issues, but on Wednesday night, Edey showed in a single play why […]

Finding ways to incorporate new faces into any team or organization is a challenge. New situations can be daunting in any industry. Thankfully, Ja Morant’s “funky” Memphis Grizzlies have a leadership structure in place that has boosted rookies Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells over the first 40 games. Taylor Jenkins has created a culture where […]

The 2024-25 NBA season has seen underwhelming rookie play compared to previous seasons when Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero ran away with the Rookie of the Year award. Still, plenty of first-year talents have made a difference for their teams, especially Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain. Unfortunately, with McCain’s season ending due to knee surgery, […]

Some regular season losses sting a bit more in professional sports, even in the NBA’s 82-game slog. It was hard to ignore how Taylor Jenkins used one-word answers after the Memphis Grizzlies lost to Alperen Sengun’s Houston Rockets on January 9. Thankfully, the Grizzlies (25-14) responded well after a baffling loss to the Rockets (25-12) […]

Well, Taylor Jenkins said the Memphis Grizzlies (24-14) would be getting funky midway through the 2024-25 NBA season. A lineup of Jaylen Wells, Luke Kennard, Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke, and Jay Huff was featured in the fourth quarter of a 119-115 home loss to the Houston Rockets (25-12). Jenkins gave uncharacteristic one-word answers after the […]

Getting through the NBA’s 82-game slog requires a solid roster, luck, and a bit of rotational savvy. The Memphis Grizzlies (24-13) are getting funky but still find themselves in a battle for second place in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, Ja Morant (shoulder), Desmond Bane (ankle), Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh), and Santi Aldama (ankle) are questionable […]