Memphis

Grizzlies

Coward and the Grizzlies rolled to a 96-64 victory, guaranteeing themselves a place in Saturday’s semifinals. The second-year guard was efficient offensively, shooting well over 50 percent from the field, with his final line lacking only a blocked shot. With the Grizzlies embarking on a new era, the tandem of Coward and lottery pick Cameron Boozer will be asked to lead the way, and they possess the highest fantasy ceilings on the current roster.

Boozer and the Grizzlies needed a big win to clinch a spot in Saturday’s semifinals, and they understood the assignment from the opening tip. Memphis led 32-2 and never looked back, going on to win 96-64. Boozer made things look easy for himself against the shorthanded Hawks, scoring on all three levels and also doing some facilitating. With Memphis now in the semifinals, any thoughts about a potential shutdown for Boozer and the other summer Grizzlies who are guaranteed roles for next season can be put to rest.

Boozer didn’t have the best day shooting the basketball, but that doesn’t matter much when seven Grizzlies reach double figures in a 106-85 victory. Also, the third overall pick does not need to score to provide fantasy value, as evidenced by the rebounds, assists and steals. The Grizzlies play their fourth game in Las Vegas on Thursday, and it’s fair to wonder if Boozer will be shut down. Counting Salt Lake City, he has played a lot of basketball over the last two weeks, and there doesn’t seem to be much that the Grizzlies haven’t seen from their lottery pick.

Small led seven Grizzlies players in double figures with 26 points, capped by an emphatic two-handed dunk in the final seconds. The 48th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Small played more than many anticipated due to injuries to other guards. He remains on a two-way contract, and the Grizzlies should not have the same injury concerns on the perimeter, which limits Small’s ceiling in fantasy basketball. However, as he showed on Tuesday, Small can make an impact when given the opportunity.

With the Grizzlies exercising their option on his contract for the 2026-27 season, Prosper’s NBA future in the short term is far more secure than it was when he joined the franchise on a two-way deal last September. As a result, there may be opportunities for him to earn rotation minutes next season, especially with the Grizzlies moving Santi Aldama. Prosper shot 40.5 percent from three on 2.8 attempts per game last season, and he has been a more willing perimeter shooter this summer. If he can carry the progress into the 2026-27 campaign, there may be moments when O-Max is a worthwhile streamer in deep leagues.

That makes two double-doubles in as many games for Coward, who also dished out four assists. The combination of injuries that limited him to 62 games as a rookie and the Grizzlies beginning a new era without Ja Morant could explain why Coward is still playing in Summer League. Still, it would be unsurprising if he were shut down at some point. Due to the changes made by the Grizzlies’ brain trust over the past season and this summer, Coward will have a higher fantasy ceiling in 2026-27.

Boozer did not shoot the ball as accurately as he did in Friday’s win over the Bulls, but he had another productive day at the office. The rookie forward’s stat line was missing only a blocked shot, with a 2-of-8 effort from deep accounting for the low field-goal percentage. Boozer played well in Salt Lake City and he’s carried that over to Las Vegas. Given the amount of basketball that he’s played, the third overall pick in last month’s draft may be a prime shutdown candidate for the rest of this week.

While he didn’t offer much offensively on Friday, the Grizzlies had to be encouraged by Hendricks’ four blocked shots. And the defensive end of the floor is where he may prove most valuable once the regular season begins. With Jaren Jackson Jr. no longer in the picture, getting shot-blocking from Hendricks and the offseason acquisition Isaiah Stewart would help offset Trip’s February exit.

Making his first appearance in Las Vegas after shoulder surgery sidelined him last summer, Coward finished Friday’s 97-96 victory with a solid double-double. As was the case in Salt Lake City, the Grizzlies wing struggled with his perimeter shot on Friday, shooting 1-of-5 from beyond the arc. However, Coward provided value as a rebounder, defender and playmaker. With the Grizzlies turning the page from the Ja Morant era, Coward is one of the players who will figure prominently in their rotation next season. That makes him a more valuable fantasy basketball option, especially if Coward can improve his perimeter shooting.

Chicago’s Caleb Wilson may have stolen the show in the matchup of the top-5 draft picks, but Boozer had an excellent game in his own right. The rookie forward led five Grizzlies starters in double figures, with the lone negative being his four turnovers. They haven’t shared the floor in an official game yet, but Boozer already appears to have established good chemistry with Cedric Coward, which bodes well for the Grizzlies moving forward. Since Boozer also played in Salt Lake City, he may not play every game in Las Vegas.