Grizzlies’ Fresh Face to the Rescue? Rookie Steals the Show Amid Desmond Bane’s Absence!
The Memphis Grizzlies’ basketball fortunes have been all over the place in the NBA during the past few years.
The Grizzlies have been at the top of their game ever since they drafted star Ja Morant and big man Jaren Jackson Jr. rose to the position of defensive stopper.
It all began in 2020–21, when they beat the Warriors in a thrilling play-in game and squeaked into the postseason. Although they were defeated by the top-seeded Utah Jazz, the young team’s performance was encouraging in terms of reaching the playoffs.
As the 2021–22 playoffs began, they maintained their upward trajectory and were seeded second. However, they were defeated in the semi-finals of the Western Conference by the Warriors.
The Los Angeles Lakers eliminated them in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. In 2024, they were not even in the playoffs, and in 2025, they were eliminated in the first round again. Even while they’ve been reliable, the Grizzlies still haven’t cracked the code to winning it all.
Naturally, the 2025–26 season will feature Morant and Jackson Jr. as the anchor players. In today’s team-oriented NBA, sharpshooter Desmond Bane was their bonified third option.
Bane was an asset because he was a reliable defender who could also shoot well from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies were in search of a replacement after he was cut from the team, and they may have found one.
He’s Got Next
The 2025 NBA Draft saw the Portland Trailblazers select Cedric Coward, however the rights to him were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on draft night.
Coward, who shared Bane’s height and weight at 6 feet 5 inches, was a forward at Washington State and Eastern Washington who appeared in 72 games.
His field goal percentage was 59.5% and his three-point percentage was 38.8%, allowing him to average over 11 points and 6 rebounds a game.
The Grizzlies could use this; all they have to do is work on his development. Joining forces with the two star veterans and the recently drafted Zach Edey—who had a solid rookie campaign—this team has the potential to return to the top of the standings sooner than expected.
Coward will be able to provide a good mid-range shot, while being a reliable 3-point shooter.
He’s already 22, which means before even playing an NBA game, he is more polished than many of the 18-21-year-olds he was drafted with.
Grizzlies fans will definitely have something to look forward to this season, and Coward could be a rookie to keep an eye on.
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