Why the Grizzlies expect Taylor Hendricks to thrive in a reclamation project role

The The Memphis Grizzlies have built their own identity on sand, grinding and finding value through thorough exploration. EVP/GM Zac Kleiman’s Fast Recovery it depends on whether that culture is maintained over the next 18 months. With Zac Eddy and Cedric Coward leading the way, Taylor Hendrix is ​​on the periphery of an infusion of youth. However, the former lottery pick’s untapped potential makes the 22-year-old an ideal reclamation project for a team entering the post-Jaren Jackson Jr. era.

Reconstructions are rarely clean. They require patience, infrastructure and, increasingly, a willingness to bet on young talent whose early NBA runways didn’t live up to pre-draft expectations. Hendricks is still testing the fundamentals that made him a lottery prospect. His size at the position, versatile athleticism and skill scale in modern frontcourt roles. Acting as a weakside rim protector, low-use spacer and transition finisher is the best way to get into Tuomas Iisalo‘s good graces.

Offensively, the expectation should be simplicity. Hendricks is at his best when he’s a finisher, not a player. Spot-up corner shots, short-throw decisions, baseline cuts and opportunistic play in transition are consistent with Memphis’ desire to keep young lineups spaced out without overwhelming them with what the coaching staff calls read complexity.

Hendricks shot a respectable 39.4% from beyond the arc during his college career and flashed shooting ability in limited NBA action. In an offense that will need spacing around cutbacks and interior finishers, he can function as a four with floor spacing that keeps defenses honest. He doesn’t need to be the primary creator, but his ability to knock down threes in open corners and layup opportunities gives the offense some much-needed breathing room.

Iisalo is expected to experiment with Hendricks as a small-ball five in the bullpen. That look unlocks switch schemes, increases pace, and creates lineups that trade some rim protection for speed and spacing. In the development-focused back half of the season, those reps are valuable data for moving forward in roster construction.

Defensively, Hendricks has to use that 6-foot-9 frame to protect the paint. With Eddie and Jackson Jr. gone, Jalen Wells and Cedric Coward will have to stick on the perimeter. GG Jackson can’t be the only size that hits the rim.

To many, he was a throw-in, just a former lottery pick struggling to find his footing in 15 inconsistent minutes per game with the Utah Jazz. But Hendrix isn’t just an accessory; he’s a reclamation project with the perfect environment, timeline and skills to not only save his young career but become a cornerstone for the Grizzlies.

For the rest of this season, priorities have shifted from the playoffs to evaluation and development. This creates an ideal low-pressure laboratory for the UCF product to thrive. Expect raw but tantalizing two-way flashes as Hendrix looks to hold his own in rotations.