The Grizzlies player primed to take the biggest leap in 2026-27

The Memphis Grizzlies have a nice stable of youngsters with high potential. They’ll need most of them to hit, considering how much has been invested already and what they are up against out West: no team has won back-to-back since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 & 18, but this Victor Wembanyama specimen could run the conference similarly to how LeBron James dominated the East in his prime. So any round wasted in the chamber on draft night would be felt even worse.

When evaluating Memphis’ prospects, the one that should turn the page quickest is Zach Edey, yet it’s close with Cedric Coward, who will have the advantage of having the ball more often. A big part of this is that Edey will be at the end of year three at 2026-27’s conclusion, making him eligible for an extension. Of course, players are motivated already, but it goes to another level when life-changing money is on the table.

His second season was a disaster, being limited to 11 outings because of injuries, and now he’s recovering from a second ankle surgery. He needs his third year to show improvement across the board, play over 70 games and finish healthy, which is all possible if he handles his recovery correctly. Keep in mind that his biggest leap at Purdue came in his third season, averaging 5.2 extra rebounds and 7.9 more points.

The Grizzlies were one of the quicker teams under coach Tuomas lisalo, but they only scored 1.07 points per possession in transition. That would’ve been much higher if Ja Morant’s playmaking was around for more than 20 games, yet they still need more in the half-court, too. The answer to that could be Edey in 2026-27, if he’s next to players who can get him the ball on the move and in tight spaces.

It should never be underestimated how post players and slashers are the real floor spacers in hoops. Even the best shooters see their defender sag off when waiting for a pass, and many will against the Grizzlies when Edey has caught it at 10 feet from the rim and closer, to force him to pass out. Passing is not a strength yet, and he has averaged more turnovers than assists in 77 career games, but he just needs to be able to pass out of the double for now to create a scramble.

Additionally, players with a pull-up jumper will love using his screens for space. A wall set by a 7’3, reportedly 305-pound man is harder to get around than one set by someone like Wendell Carter Jr., who is a tank, but is five inches shorter and 35 pounds lighter, according to Basketball Reference.

All of Edey’s firm screens will create mismatches to the Grizzlies’ advantage and his size makes him a big threat on the glass, which will come in handy for offensive rebounds, and the shooters will love him for that, too. He logged 3.9 offensive rebounds per game in last year‘s short sample size, yet averaged 3.5 as a rookie. This will hold up and continue to improve.

Naturally, the public forgets about a player when they’ve been out for a while, and this is more likely for people outside of Memphis. Next year, Edey will remind everyone why the Grizzlies drafted him high.

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