On Tuesday evening, Memphis Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells was on a breakaway.
A transition dunk, as he has surely done many times before in his basketball career, was coming.
Until KJ Simpson mistakenly undercut him. He fell to the floor in a scary moment, which resulted in a broken wrist for Wells, effectively ending his first NBA campaign.
It was a season that saw Wells amass numbers that likely will result in a first-team All-Rookie selection. While his numbers won’t jump out at you, until he hit a recent “rookie wall” (only shooting 27% from beyond the arc since March 1), he was a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year Award. His most important number this year? 79—the number of games he played in for the Memphis Grizzlies before he was injured.
That is every. Single. Game. The only member of the roster to do such a thing. Wells defended opponents’ best players. He helped space the floor. Jaylen accentuated the strengths of Memphis’ best players.
He has the look of an elite role player moving forward for the Grizzlies. Now, the team must find a way to replace him (for now).
However, as mentioned before, Wells has cooled in recent weeks. His absence will sting to be sure. It is also possible, though, that a shakeup in the starting lineup can improve a Grizzlies team that needs to be on their A-game entering the final weekend of the regular season.
Who should Memphis lean on?
Option A: Vince Williams Jr.
It’s important to remember that Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies starter, was not supposed to be a thing. Marcus Smart was originally slated for that role. But as the Smart experience continued to disintegrate and lead to a trade, Williams Jr. became a more realistic option.
Then, he missed a large chunk of the season due to injury and has not looked 100% since he returned. The player who earned a full NBA contract and excited so many last season has yet to be “back.”
That has to change, starting now, for Memphis to endure Wells’ absence.
His drop-off from last year to this year so far has been drastic. From the 79th percentile in points per shot attempt per Cleaning the Glass to the 15th. From an above-average “stocks” generator to a bad one. And from Memphis scoring 6.4 more points per 100 possessions to seven points less. The numbers, plus your eyes, tell you this season has been a disappointment.
So why trust him now?
Two words – opportunity. Fit.
Vince, since returning from injury, has not had the chance to play as much alongside Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane. That role has (understandably) been filled by Wells. With Wells out, the void is great for a defender who can hit threes. And Williams Jr. is the player who best checks that box – at least, hypothetically.
So much of the work that Williams Jr. did last season was without Morant in particular. This year isn’t much better. Ja and Vince have only logged 183 minutes together, per NBA.com. That is easily the lowest amount of combined time between probable starters on the team.
A larger sample is needed. But at 6-foot-6, with what was seen last season? Williams Jr. should undoubtedly be the immediate choice to play for Wells. He fills Wells’ role as a lead perimeter defender and has shown he can space the floor. Plus, Williams Jr. is a much better facilitator of offense for others (14% assist rate to 8.1%).
Williams Jr. must be ready to meet this challenge. Otherwise, Memphis’ time in the postseason will be brief.
Option B: By committee
If Williams Jr. cannot do it, there is no one player on the roster who can.
GG Jackson has the frame and athleticism of a big, combo forward, but he is arguably the worst defender on the roster this season— and maybe in the entire NBA. Santi Aldama has had a strong season and is improving defensively, but he would add the issue of Desmond Bane having to pick up too much defensive slack.
Ditto Luke Kennard, who is undergoing his own identity crisis in April, struggling with his shot. Scotty Pippen Jr. is having a strong season and is easily the best “non-core” new player from this year and last year combined.
But that would put Memphis’ best three offensive initiators on the floor together, leaving the team undersized and potentially without a lead guard, depending on Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo’s rotations.
Those are the four most likely names to see minutes increase beyond Williams Jr., but none of them combine what Vince does individually. Injuries suck, and especially sprained ankles and linger, which might explain Vince’s down season.
If starting and playing more doesn’t click for him? Situational play will have to be the rule.
The time is now
Regardless of the who, the when is “immediately”. The tough and quickly beloved Wells is not walking through that door anytime soon. The firing of former Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins was sold as a move toward urgency. If that is to be believed – and not that the team was just ready to move on from a lame duck coach?
How the team responds to Wells’ absence will make a massive difference in how the postseason goes for the Memphis Grizzlies. Maybe Wells is the long-term answer for the Grizzlies in that spot. Maybe an upgrade to a more veteran wing is needed so Wells can be a key reserve, which may suit his skill on a supposed title contender better.
That’s an offseason question. And Memphis is not there…yet.
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