What everyone should talk about as the Memphis Grizzlies open camp

Questions about the roster composition will dominate the preseason conversation

Feb 27, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Memphis Grizzlies will open training camp in Nashville on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

There is plenty of discussion to be had about Zach Edey's health, Cameron Boozer's rookie season outlook, and how the minutes distribution will look in Tuomas Iisalo's second season as head coach. However, the biggest talking point should be how the roster pecking order falls. will shake out in the bench rotation, who starts at small forward and who will not make the final cut.

Who starts at the three

It is safe to pencil in Ty Jerome as the starter at point guard, Cedric Coward at the two, Boozer at the four and Edey at the five. The decision of who starts at the three will be between Jerami Grant and Jaylen Wells. Both have solid cases.

Grant is the better scorer of the two. He averaged 18.6 points per game with the Portland Trail Blazers last season before being traded to Memphis along with Kris Murray as part of the Ja Morant deal. The 6-7 wing has been a regular starter in the NBA since 2018-19. He started every game he played in until last season when he came off the bench in 19 out of 58 regular season games.

The 32-year-old is a good three-point shooter, especially off the catch. He shot 38.9 percent from beyond the arc on 5.8 attempts per game across four seasons in Portland.

Jerami Grant no-dip threes '25-26 pic.twitter.com/lBu8FP0tcz

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Wells is not as good of a self-creator than Grant, but he is a better defender. He is also just 23 years old, so he could likely take on more wear and tear playing starter's minutes as the season goes on. Wells, like Grant, has started most of his career. He was in the starting lineup in 143 out of 148 career regular season games. The third-year wing is also reliable from three knocking down 35 percent of his attempts on 5.1 outside attempts per game over his career.

With Grant entering the later stages of his career and Jerome being the projected starting point guard, it could make sense to bring Grant off the bench as a sparkplug scorer. Jerome has filled that role throughout his career, but with him being a starter, that role is open on the Grizzlies' bench.

How will the bench rotation shake out

The Grizzlies have depth in terms of quantity on this year's roster. The quality of that depth is still yet to be seen, but Iisalo has plenty of options when it comes to who plays off the bench.

Guys who are locks to be in the bench rotation are whoever does not start between Grant and Wells, Isaiah Stewart, Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer and Quinten Post, even if Post's minutes are in a limited capacity.

Most efficient high volume pull-up jump shooter in the NBA last season? Cam Spencer...

Nasty shotmaker pic.twitter.com/scNVeL2P0B

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There are a ton of bodies on the wing and at the guard spot. This feels like the type of season where everyone on the roster could get a look, but not all 15 guys can play every night.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper, GG Jackson, Taylor Hendricks and Karim Lopez are all guys who have a chance to play at the three or four. Javon Small will definitely see minutes this season, but the exact amount are a question.

Who will not make the final roster

Memphis has 19 players on standard contracts, so four players will not make the final 15-man roster. The guys on the fence are D'Angelo Russell, Murray, Micah Peavy, Jordan Hawkins and Walter Clayton Jr.

It feels like Russell and Murray are players easily projected to be out. That brings it down to Peavy, Hawkins and Clayton, who all fill different roles. If each of those three players' performances in camp/preseason are similar, it could come down to what the Grizzlies need.

Clayton struggled as a rookie, but showed some playmaking upside at times as a point guard in Iisalo's offense. Hawkins has more off-ball skills and profiles as a good outside shooter. Peavy has the most size out of the three at 6-7 and can play at the two or three.

Zach Kleiman has built the roster going into camp in a way that gives the Grizzlies options. At the start of a rebuild, it seems like a solid strategy to find talent.