Grizzlies scout Zach Eddy’s 3 insurance policies as March Madness kicks off

They really play the blues before basketball games on Beale Street. A procedure to address ongoing talar discomfort and stress spoiled another season of Zack Eddyleaving fans wondering what will happen in 2026 NBA draft. The The Memphis Grizzlies are still invested in Canada’s 7-foot-4 as part of the future core, but the scouting department’s priority is to identify the insurance policy before the court as NCAA March Madness ramps up.

Eddie played in just 11 games in 2025-26 before suffering a wrist stress reaction, averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. Everyone hopes that production will return to the lineup for at least 65-80 games next season. However, that’s asking a lot considering Edie’s career highs in fielding mileage. The same goes for identifying frontcourt figures with the demands of the modern NBA shooting build. Memphis must try all the same.

Adai Mara has a 7-foot-3 frame that would theoretically match up with Edei, but Michigan’s center in the paint made a total of two 3-pointers in college and remains under 50% from the free throw line. That combination plugs the gap to the point where few NBA rosters could absorb it productively. The same logic disqualifies Taris Reid and Florio Bidunga. Henry Veesaar is a legitimate second-round name, but Kleiman’s Grizzlies are in no position to make developmental gambles meet the urgency of the current rebuild.

Chris Cenac Jr. is the seal of a champion

Houston’s other freshman phenom is starting to heat up again. As the Kingston Flemings force lottery teams to land in Space City, New Orleans’ Chris Cenak Jr. is the one championship teams hope to steal. Four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala has made headlines with predictions that the 19-year-old will be the first pick in this draft. The big board consensus has him in the 13th to 22nd overall range. That’s perfect for the Grizzlies.

Cenac’s defensive rebounding percentage (26%) puts him second among all freshmen, ahead of Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Nate Ament and Hannes Steinbach. He ranks in the 97th percentile in efficiency at the rim, boosted by a career-high 30 dunks. Elite mobility, with the ability to move to the perimeter and defend guards, is evident on big plays. His length and vertical pop are serious rim protector traits that will increase. Blocking shots and disrupting passing lanes shouldn’t be a problem on the first day of NBA training camp.

At 6-foot-11 and weighing around 240 pounds, Cenac (9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds) is a mix of Herb Jones and Anthony Davis. It’s the ceiling. Natural fluid athleticism for a player his size is rare, and he has shown an increasing confidence in grabbing jumpers, including from beyond the arc, that could make him a modern player in the NBA. His floor is still higher than most every other big man who wasn’t selected in the top five in the last five drafts.

Everything is in place for the landing spot, and the Grizzlies have Cenac in a great starting role as Edei’s sidekick. Kelvin Sampson said before the season that Cenac would be a pop guy, not a roll guy, able to spot transition, handle the ball and pass. The results were adequate, but not undeniably incendiary. There are concerns about the lack of recognizable skill and the occasional inconsistency in execution, particularly in the jumps.

ClutchPoints watched the game sitting next to the NBA’s decision makers, and Cenac was ejected twice in one half by the smallest player on the court. Three-point shooting (32.9%) seems maxed out given the free throw numbers (61.1%). Houston is working to break those bad habits and increase their accuracy before the conference tournament begins. The Grizzlies should be looking to reap those rewards by the end of the decade.

Hannes Steinbach is a star

Hannes Steinbach isn’t quite as athletic compared to Cenaco, of course. However, the most decorated freshman frontcourt in the Big Ten is not on the tournament team, which is either the saddest story in March or the most convenient situation for lottery-related organizations doing their homework. For a quick update on the portal era, the 19-year-old came through the Würzburg Baskets youth program and has experience in the Bundesliga, but wanted to test the NCAA waters this season.

Averaging a double-double of 18.2 points (33.3% 3PA) and 11.4 rebounds per game had already led to a significant rise up the draft board, so coming to the United States was the right call. Even without real help on the perimeter and despite playing through constant double-team looks, he leads the Big Ten in rebounding and has recorded 11 double-doubles. That’s high-floor production the Grizzlies could use right away. Leading Germany to a silver medal at the FIBA ​​U19 World Championship last summer, averaging 17.4 points and 13 rebounds, he displays a championship mentality.

Tuomas Iisalo would like reliable rebounding, a high effort level and above-average skill for a big man. Steinbach can be deployed all over the floor and is expected to thrive as a starter, and appears to have more upside as a shooter (71.1% FTA). Footwork, inside force, touch, decision making, internationally tested, all the boxes ticked. Scouts consider him one of the safest bets among big players for a reason, even if it’s hard to imagine any NBA upside.

Patrick Ngongba II needs time

The efficient finishing, solid vision and steady defense that fill Patrick Ngongba II’s stats (10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists) excite scouts. Adding a Nikola Jokic-like addition would make Ja Morant happy if the Grizzlies get a chance to bring the Duke star to the FedEx Forum. Ngongba II was limited as a rookie with a lingering foot injury, averaging 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.6 minutes, but those numbers have jumped this season (1.7 steals/blocks). NBA front offices believe his exponential growth trajectory is just beginning to build momentum.

Ngongba II would be a more reliable rim protector and better defender than the New Orleans Pelicans got in Yves Misa. His reading of the court and instinctive adjustments to connect the team are far ahead of most of his peers. Memphis could see shades of Marc Gasol during Summer League action.

However, the 20-year-old has a long history of foot injuries. Ngongba II originally had two screws placed in his right foot in high school and was spotted wearing a boot on his left foot last summer. Between injuries and a lack of shooting, the Grizzlies will need him to land their second first-round pick (from Orlando).

As March Madness unfolds and scouting intensifies, the pursuit of Zach Edei’s insurance policy will likely become one of the key storylines of this rebuild. The Grizzlies may not yet know what their next core looks like, but the path almost certainly goes through the frontcourt class for the 2026 draft.