Jaylen

Wells

Morant’s extended absence should open up new opportunities for Jaylen Wells, Cam Spencer and Vince Williams, though Wells is the preferred add. Javon Small could get a boost off the bench once he’s back in action, but he’s not worth a look outside of deep leagues.

Wells’ strong preseason concluded on Friday with another solid offensive performance. On efficient shooting, he reached the 20-point mark for the second time this season and tied a preseason high in made threes. Throughout the five exhibition games, he very much looked like a player who started 74 regular-season games the year prior and found success on both ends of the floor. Wells could make another leap in Year 2 after averaging 10.4 points as a rookie.

With Ja Morant and Santi Aldama sidelined, the Grizzlies will mix up their starting lineup. This is a favorable defensive matchup, so Kennard, Wells and Edey are worth streaming, particularly in deeper leagues.

Wells stepped into the starting lineup Friday and had his best game of the year as he dropped 30 points on 16 shots against the Kings. The 21-year-old small forward knocked down 8-of-9 attempts from behind the 3-point line. It was a huge game and Wells is fantasy-relevant when inserted into the starting lineup. Still, he’ll need to do more to separate himself from Memphis’ deep rotation when everyone is healthy.

Both players are sitting out with minor injuries, and the Grizzlies are just being cautious with them. This is the team’s third straight day with a game, and there is no reason for push them to play in Summer League. Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer stepped up on Tuesday night and should play extended minutes once again.

Wells struggled in 25 minutes in his first Summer League game, but he took on a larger role in his second appearance with Zach Edey, GG Jackson, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jake LaRavia all sitting out. He led the team with 27 points and gave them the win by knocking down a floater off of an offensive rebound at the buzzer. Wells likely won’t make much of a fantasy impact on a stacked Memphis team this season, but it is encouraging to see him play well this summer.

Wells started the final 20 of his 34 games during his single season at Washington State, where he averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.1 triples per game. He spent his first two collegiate seasons with D2 Sonoma State before transferring for his junior season. He hasn’t shown much defensively, but he was an effective shooter and shot creator for Washington State. He doesn’t have a complete game by any means, but his shooting upside is certainly intriguing. Luke Kennard has a team option this summer, so Wells can learn from Kennard this year and then potentially become a rotation piece in his second season. He may not develop much else, but he can fill an important role as a floor spacer.