Memphis Grizzlies need more than small sample size of Cam Spencer's shooting ability
Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey both finished in the top five in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting, and both were named first-team All-Rookie. The Grizzlies have had a member on the All-Rookie team in five of the past seven seasons.
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Lost in the shuffle of the terrific 2024 class was another second-round pick who is looking to certify his positioning. Cam Spencer has a big summer ahead, and there's reason to believe the Grizzlies are confident that he can become a more reliable option in Year 2.
Memphis wants to put more players it refers to as "dogs" around the core players. General manager Zach Kleiman pointed out Wells, Edey and Scotty Pippen Jr. as players who fit that mold. Then he named someone who appeared in just 25 games.
"Cam Spencer is a Grizzly bear," Kleiman said. "Cam Spencer's got that in spades. I think he's got a bright future, too."
The Cam Spencer arc
Spencer's rookie season didn't get off to a typical start. After an encouraging performance in summer league, he started preseason camp with a severe ankle injury. That sidelined him until Nov. 20, when he finally made his season debut.
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A string of sporadic performances followed until Spencer was injured in January, and he did not play again until March.
However, it was one of those March performances that have the Grizzlies eager to see what Spencer can do in his second season. He provided a major spark on March 10 in a 120-118 win against the Phoenix Suns, making four 3-pointers and scoring 16 points while also trash-talking with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.
Because Spencer was on a two-way contract, he was ineligible for the playoffs, and he didn't receive much playing time for the remainder of the season.
A role for the taking
The Grizzlies drafted Spencer in part because they believed he was one of the top shooters available in the NBA draft, the same reason they had traded for Luke Kennard in 2023.
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With Kennard entering free agency, Memphis has a shooting void to fill, and the answer already might be on the roster. Spencer shot 35.8% on 3-pointers this season, but he did so in an irregular role. More consistent minutes should yield more accurate results.
Kennard wasn't always the most aggressive shooter despite being one of the league's most accurate marksmen. Spencer could jump right in and excel if he displays an ability to be accurate as well as aggressive as a shooter.
Summer league
The first test for Spencer will come in summer league.
Wells, Edey and GG Jackson are among the Grizzlies players interested in suiting up for games this summer. Spencer teaming up with those players will be a good gauge as to how his aggressiveness can translate to the regular season.
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If the G League was any indication, Spencer won't be hesitant. In eight games between the Tip-Off Tournament and Memphis Hustle regular season, he averaged 23.5 points and attempted 9.1 3-pointers per game, making 49.3% of them.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies' Cam Spencer could carve role with outside shooting
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