What ISN’T said at Memphis Grizzlies media day speaks VOLUMES
What should we expect from the 2025-2026 Memphis Grizzlies? GM Zach Kleiman didn’t say – and that says a lot. Host Joe Mullinax breaks that down, plus the legend of Cedric Coward growing and concerns about overextending Jaylen Wells, on this episode of Locked on Grizzlies!
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22 Comments
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Joe, your comments about Wells don’t add up to me. How do you determine the ceiling of a talented evolving 2nd year player? How do you know that there are aspects of his game that he has not unlocked yet? You have seemed to limit him to just being a spot up shooter and defensive specialist after one year.
Media day wasn’t interesting because the team is uninterested. It’s going to be a mediocre season that will start a rebuild next offseason.
Is this what it's going to be like now, Joe?
Your dislike for Tuomas will have you not understand what's going on?
This is the Iisalo Era now.
I already explained last season that what Tuomas wants, Tuomas gets, because he's THAT guy.
Zach Kleiman works for him now. He's not going to be able to speak confidently on players because he's not the one making decicions on them, Tuomas is, because he knows exactly what his system needs.
Kleiman knows he messed up last season and knows that he's all in on Tuomas now, with very little control. That must be scary and it shows in his press conference.
Now, on to Tuomas. You spent less than a minute talking about him during which your obvious dislike for him shone through.
You don't know what this team is going to look like because you refuse to make the effort to understand Tuomas.
I get it, you thought the hiring process should have gone differently, but it's time to get over it if you're planning on covering the Grizzlies.
Ja said that Tuomas' system fits him perfectly yes, but he also appreciated that Tuomas holds him accountable and calls him out every time he does something wrong. This is what we have wanted, no?
GG called Tuomas a wizard and explained how he's helped him isolate things that nobody else has before.
Cedric Coward spoke about the culture and how they talk about everything other than basketball and really bond as team mates. This is part of Tuomas' strategy to build a rock solid team where nothing is left to chance. It's what he does.
I told you last season that Tuomas is going to revolutionize the entire organization and that everything starts from him.
He's the mastermind that everything flows from and you can't keep thinking in pre-revolution ways because you will miss what is actually happening.
After reading the other comments so far and knowing the future comments to come, I don’t even need to say my piece. Just don’t read the comments Joe, some how some way, you’ve done it again 😂
Common Joe L
Joe I can usually rock with you on your takes but that first and third segment today wasn't it. Not sure what you want Kleiman to say. Those cheesy sound bites aren't it anymore. I think he's learned that. I think the team has learned that as well. You want everyone to say "Championship or bust"?
After watching all of the interviews with Grind City Media and the official press interviews (plus watching several Iisalo interviews and clinics) I truly believe this is the exact roster Iisalo wants. This group looks like they’ll have great chemistry, dynamic skill sets, and be a ton of fun to watch once everyone is healthy and probably before then. The lack of expectations is a positive not a negative in my opinion.
It seems a wee bit unrealistic to want the GM to say the Grizzlies are competing for a championship… The same GM who, just 4-5 months ago, said the team was not just one piece away, who proceeded to trade 1 of the team's Top 3 players and bring in (1) an unc/veteran albeit championship player, (2) the 11th pick from the draft, (3) a talented guard who struggled in his last playoff run, & (4) undrafted/G League-level players who will be coached by a man who is coaching his first full NBA season & whose team will be led by a player who said his (very reasonable) goal is to play 82 games. Also, maybe Kleiman has learned from the past not to promise or say the Grizzlies are contending. Further, even Kleiman may know its unrealistic when he has a head coach entering his first full NBA season & a superstar PG whose goal is simply to be available & endeavor to play 82 games. I'm more concerned about this superstar PG, himself, rarely talking about championships, & the self-centered, not team-centered, focus/vibe he gave off with his "it fits me" statement when talking about Iisalo's system.
This is why I hate the media just because the GM didn't say Championship or bust doesn't mean shit yall always try to make something out of nothing
That's right Joe. We need him to be an elite role player like Big Zeeddy
What's it matter? Gonna be another waste of a season full of a loaded injury report
Joe, I almost always agree with your analysis, but in this case you seem a bit off. You’re a bit too dire on this I think. Let’s be positive and give everyone the benefit of a fresh start
Joe's realism (or pessimism) in an age when people need hope and positivity through sports with so much around us not good -socially, politically, and economically – is definitely a mood booster..
everyday
joe will never let Kleiman live down the BANE TRADE
Congratulations, Joe Mullinax. You have truly mastered the art of "making love out of nothing at all". But maybe this lack of overcommitment by ZK is all part of a masterclass in misdirection: lower public expectations, keep the wolves calm, and let the real plot twist hit when no one's watching. 🤞🙏 GRIZZLIES FOREVER!
I really think this is a great roster. I think a healthy Grizzlies team is a scary team.
Desmond Bane was not a good shot creator at first.
Jaylen Wells exceeded all expectations and beyond in his rookie season, nobody really even expected him to be a regular rotation player but he became a starter as he performed better than M. Smart. That shows how quickly he was able to improve and to say that he has reached his ceiling already when he improved massively throughout his rookie season and became one of the rookies of the year is crazy.
Desmond Bane was nowhere near Jaylen Wells in his rookie season. Different players but Jaylen Wells overall a much better player in his rookie season.
I think Wells will add to his game this year.
Also I think Memphis will be better without Bane as he seemed like sometimes a bit of a selfish player that would make a lot of poor decisions. He would score but sometimes that would be at the expense of Memphis playing well as he got his enhanced role during last few years when Memphis have been somewhat worse than before. I wish him well though.
When it comes to expectations. I think it's good to keep them low or not to even have them and let the game talk rather than talk about championship having not done anything. Teams that win championships take one step at a time and treat every game as a final.
I think Memphis are in a better place this season. More depth. Ja will definitely player better. Maybe just the bigs ( injuries and rebounding ) are an issue at the moment.
I agree with the "speed kills" critique. Even Ja (&, ofc Bane) struggled with the pace at the beginning of last season & turned the ball over a ton. I've always been concerned about Tuomas Iisalo designing a system that truly maximizes the skillsets of the players that Kleiman has put on this team. Is he willing to adjust his system to complement the players he does have? And, yeah, it's going to be a true test of Santi as a team player: Is he willing to get uncomfortable & play a role the team needs him to play? Is he willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team? Time will tell. I do think TI is going to facilitate some real team chemistry, beginning at this training camp. I think he understands the importance of team culture. But, like Gary Parrish said the other day, the best teams have players who, at some point, take the reins & own their responsibility to set & support the team culture. MJ had to learn this, Tim Duncan understood this, Steph does this, &, ofc, Bill Russell excelled at this. Can one or both of Ja &/or Jaren show this type of leadership?