Griz to look at pair of forwards

GRIZZLIES INSIDER Robinson, Early set visit

Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger gave a brutally honest answer when asked if the initial pre-draft workouts in FedExForum were of high quality. “No,” he said. The level of competition and caliber of players increased on Monday when the Griz held auditions for Memphian and University of Tennessee standout Jarnell Stokes, Louisville’s Russ Smith and Clemson’s K.J. McDaniels.

A week will have passed when the Griz hold their next workout June 16. Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early and Michigan’s Glenn Robinson III could end up being worth the wait that day and on June 26 when the Griz select 22nd in the NBA draft.

Early and Robinson, both 6-7, are expected to be among six prospects who will work out for the Grizzlies. Early can play both forward positions and could go in the teens. Robinson, son of former NBA player Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, is an above-the-rim, athletic small forward.

Early appears all over the board in terms of draft projections. One mock draft has him slated to go as high as 18 while another places Early in the second round. Meanwhile, Robinson consistently appears in the latter part of the first round on most mock drafts.

There’s no debate over what they have in common: Both are tremendous athletes who can score.

Improving the team’s athleticism is one of the Grizzlies’ stated goals.

Early has good quickness and explosive moves around the basket. Early can play power forward because he is comfortable playing with his back to the basket.

Critics point to Early’s lack of size to defend NBA power forwards, suspect ball handling and poor decision making.

Robinson stands out in part because he’s ambidextrous. He finds driving lanes and attacks to score or get offensive rebounds. He’s not a reliable threepoint shooter but is solid from midrange and a good free-throw shooter. He plays within the offense and doesn’t force the issue, which makes Robinson an efficient performer.

The knock on Robinson centers on his mental lapses and loss of concentration throughout games.

As the draft draws nearer, the Griz are clearly taking a hard look at candi-

dates who could add depth at both forward spots.

Exactly who will be responsible for the pick on June 26?

The search for a permanent president of basketball operations is moving at the deliberate pace that Joerger predicted.

By all accounts, the Grizzlies’ draft choice will arrive through a collaborative effort with Joerger, controlling owner Robert Pera, general manager Chris Wallace, vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger and Dave Mincberg, the Grizzlies’ director of scouting, all having input.