MikeCheck: With rising stats and scars to prove it, Edey thriving in Grizzlies’ dirty work role
Michael WallaceCHARLOTTE – The red scratches and blue welts on his arms paled in comparison to the bright but rare smile Zach Edey flashed as wide as his 7-foot-4, 300-pound frame.
There was genuine pride in those battle scars.
Digging into the dirty work as the Grizzlies claw their way towards the postseason, there’s one thing clear for Edey: If it isn’t rough, something ain’t right.
“That’s always been my favorite type of game,” Edey said of the rugged intensity that has defined the past few games. “These are games when refs let you play, let you bang, and it gets physical. That’s always been the kind of game I thrive in.”
The Grizzlies’ rookie center is piling up the stats and scars to prove it.
That production saw a historic spike over the weekend in Detroit, where Edey set a franchise rookie record with 21 rebounds along with a career-high six assists to help power Memphis to a 2-0 start on its three-game road swing.
The Grizzlies (46-32) end their trip Tuesday at Charlotte (19-59), where they look to win three consecutive road games for the first time this season. After a rocky past few weeks, Memphis seeks to regain its footing with four games left before the postseason.
Edey’s recent play has anchored the Grizzlies’ quest to reestablish their foundation. In his past five games, Edey has grabbed double figures in rebounds four times, notched two double-doubles and has played at least 28 minutes in three straight games for the first time as a pro.
Coincidentally, no player has responded more since the March 28 coaching change from Taylor Jenkins to interim coach Tuomas Iisalo than Edey. Since then, Edey’s minutes (25.7), rebounds (12.6), blocks (2.0), assists (2.0) and field-goal percentage (.613) have increased significantly.
It’s a small sample size, but also a byproduct of multiple factors. Iisalo is leaning more heavily on an offense based on high pick-and-roll actions. That approach caters to the dynamic playmaking of point guard Ja Morant and the screen-setting, paint-crashing strengths of Edey.
The ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is also being more relied upon amid last month’s season-ending knee injury to veteran forward Brandon Clarke. Regardless of the circumstances, Edey has made the most of these moments at a crucial time in the season.
“He’s had an incredible stretch of games,” Iisalo commended. “There’s a lot of noise, but he’s grasping the tactical nuances, he’s disciplined and executing the game plan. He’s relentless in getting (rebounds) and screening for our shooters. He’s got a very bright future ahead of him.”
At a time when there are very few assurances around the Grizzlies these days, that last comment from Iisalo is quite revealing.
There are no guarantees where the Grizzlies will end up in the postseason. With games left against the Hornets, Timberwolves, Nuggets and Mavericks, Memphis entered the week two games out of the No. 3 seed, yet currently positioned eighth in Play-In Tournament territory.
There are no guarantees of who will be guiding the Grizzlies beyond this season. Iisalo, a 2024 Euro League coach of the Year, is highly regarded in the coaching community. Stepping over from lead assistant to his first NBA head coaching assignment under extreme circumstances, Iisalo embraces both the daunting challenge and tremendous opportunity of the task.
Point is, guarantees are difficult to toss around right now.
Just not when it comes to Edey.
Especially if he keeps rebounding, defending and anchoring the middle at this rate.
“We need absolutely everything big fella is giving us right now,” Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane assured. “He’s always asking questions, listening and responding to whatever he’s asked to do.”
And that’s assuring Edey an opportunity to come through in the season’s clutch time.
“That’s what it feels like to me, too,” Edey believed. “I’ve had great vets around who warned me all season to take care of my body and make sure you’re alright. It’s a long season, and you’ve got to make sure to take care of yourself. That’s what I’ve been doing, and it’s helped me a lot.”
If Edey snags at least 10 boards Tuesday, it would mark the first time in his NBA career that he’s finished with double figures in rebounds over four consecutive games. Struggles with rebounding and defense have contributed to the Grizzlies’ overall slide the past two months.
The hemorrhaging has halted, at least these past two games. The Grizzlies held the Heat and Pistons to a collective average of 105.5 points and 39.8-percent shooting from the field. Memphis won the rebounding battle by a combined 113-91 edge.
By comparison, the Grizzlies surrendered an average of 123.5 points their previous eight games. The wins over Miami and Detroit also marked the first time since early February that Memphis has held consecutive opponents below 110 points.
Edey has had a positive influence on the recent outcomes. Although Memphis is 2-3 in the five games since the coaching change, the Grizzlies were a plus-7 when Edey was in the games.
Other numbers are adding up, too.
“Our rebounding is about 10 percentage points better when he’s on the floor,” Iisalo pointed out. “There are a lot of things he does that are not easy to spot with the eye right away. But once you dive into the metrics, his impact is really real and he’s only just getting started.”
Just in time to dive deeper into more dirty work as the Grizzlies fight to the finish.
Published on Apr 07, 2025
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