Winslow fills role as Grizzlies playmaker
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t want to commit to what position Justise Winslow could play when he’s expected to make his debut on July 31
But as for Winslow’s role? Jenkins was clear. He’ll be a playmaker.
Winslow was the prized acquisition when the team traded Andre Iguodala in February. After suffering a back injury in January, his return on Mar. 12 was postponed when the NBA suspended its season a day earlier to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With an extra four months to heal, he’ll get the chance to start fresh in Orlando.
But how will the fifth-year veteran fit on the court in the Grizzlies’ uptempo, free-flowing system.
Let Jenkins tell it, it’ll be a natural transition.
“His versatility is really going to come out in our style of play,” Jenkins said. “That’s why I talk about him being just a great fit and a perfect fit for our system because he can play multiple positions on offense.”
Winslow on offense
Winslow only played 11 games this season but had a net rating of 6.4, which is how many points per 100 possessions the Heat outscored opponents with him on the court. That’s higher than any players on the Grizzlies, with the closest being De’anthony Melton (6.2).
The Grizzlies saw Winslow’s impact in their season opening loss to the Heat. He finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the 120-109 win.
Whether he was scoring on drives or backing down players in the post, the lefty forward had no trouble picking the Grizzlies apart. He was also comfortable running the Heat’s offense at times, including one pickand-roll sequence that led to a dunk by Bam Adebayo.
Jenkins said that he expects Winslow to have the ball in his hands in some capacity. Whether it’s being a
secondary ballhandler to Ja Morant or Tyus Jones or even a primary ballhandler at times, it’ll help keep the Grizzlies as one of the NBA’S leaders in assists.
“He’s unselfish (and) loves to make plays,” said Jones, who won a national championship with Winslow at Duke. “He’s a smart player, big physical body. (He’ll) do whatever it takes for his team to win.”
Winslow on defense
Winslow can also guard multiple players on defense. He’s quick enough to take on guards but at 6foot-6, 222 pounds, he’s physical enough not to be overwhelmed by forwards.
If Winslow starts, for example, alongside Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas, that’s a lineup of two good perimeter defenders in Winslow and Brooks along with Jackson being a rim protector.
While Jenkins has yet to decide on a fifth starter, Winslow could also add another defensive presence off the bench with De’anthony Melton and Gorgui Dieng.
The one knock on Winslow’s game? His perimeter shooting. He’s a career 41.7% shooter from the field and 33.7% on 3-pointers. He’s also averaged just over two 3-point attempts per game although he attempted a career-high 256 3-pointers last season.
He improved from shooting just 25.8% on 3-pointers in his first two seasons to 37.7% over the next two seasons. This year, however, he shot just 22.2%.
While he’ll be encouraged to shoot with the Grizzlies, he’ll be better suited contributing as a slasher, facilitator and an extra defender. As Winslow said in February, he just wants to play a role best suited to help the Grizzlies continue their push for a playoff spot.
“At the end of the day, I make winning plays. You never know what they are but you just try to go out and impact winning and let the rest of the game take care of itself.”