Latest news with #CamSpencer
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three takeaways from GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies in summer league loss vs Utah Jazz
The Memphis Grizzlies were tested on July 7 against one of the most experienced rosters participating in the NBA summer league. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 17-point lead in the first half, but the Jazz didn't take long to erase that deficit with elite shotmaking and strong defense. Advertisement Ultimately the game came down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Memphis led for most of the night, but a surging Jazz squad took control late in the fourth quarter. But then, the Grizzlies had another chance. Utah knocked down two free throws and had a 3-point lead as GG Jackson knocked down a running shot at the buzzer. The shot was ruled a two after Jackson appeared to have a toe on the 3-point line, ending the game in a 112-111 Grizzlies loss. Jackson led the Grizzlies with 27 points. Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer each added 23 points. Zyon Pullin was the only other Grizzlies player in double figures, adding 10 points and nine assists. Advertisement Here are three takeaways from the game. Cam Spencer, GG Jackson pace Memphis offense GG Jackson and Cam Spencer are both known for their offensive skills at this point of their careers, and they're emphatically showing why during summer league. Jackson had a balanced performance, mixing in aggressive two-handed dunks and drives to the rim with a feathery 3-point shot that looks improved. He played with confidence and sometimes looked like he was moving at a different speed than opponents. Aggressiveness was also a strong point in Spencer's game. He made three 3-pointers early in the first quarter. When it was clear he had the hot hand, Spencer hunted his shot by making himself available to teammates and using pump fakes and dribbles moves to get the separation he needed to fire off a 3-pointer. He knocked down seven of his 10 3-point attempts. Advertisement Memphis is replacing two of the NBA's best 3-point shooters in Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard. Spencer, who was a noted 3-point shooter coming out of college in 2024, is looking like a player ready to help fill that void. Jaylen Well stats Wells got a little bit of summer league adversity against the Jazz. At one point, he missed six consecutive shots and struggled to find an offensive groove. He continued to play strong defense, and eventually more shots started falling. Wells finished with 23 points on 6-for-18 shooting. As a rookie, Wells had a role that consisted mostly of defending wings and making 3-pointers. His role should expand going into his second season, meaning he'll have to be more of a contributor in other areas. He finished with two assists, one steal and one rebound against Utah. Advertisement One rookie in, one rookie out The NBA draft night trade that included Grizzlies rookie Jahmai Mashack became official on July 6. Despite not participating in any practices ahead of shootaround on July 7, Mashack made his Grizzlies debut against the Jazz. Mashack didn't waste much time making an impact. For better or worse, he came out aggressive. Mashack showed playmaking potential with his ability to dribble, drive and find teammates. He ended the game with five points and eight assists. MORE: Why Ja Morant, Mike Conley Jr. are among best Memphis Grizzlies draft choices of all time On the other hand, his defense led to two steals and 10 fouls. In summer league, players get up to 10 fouls, but that ratio will need to shift by the fall. Advertisement While Memphis got Mashack in, rookie guard Javon Small was out. Small is dealing with a groin strain, a team spokesperson told The Commercial Appeal. He led the Grizzlies with six assists in his summer league debut on July 5. What's next Memphis will have a quick turnaround for a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 8 (6 p.m., NBA TV). This will be the Grizzlies' last game in Salt Late City. They'll then head to Las Vegas four at least four more games. Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies summer league highlights: GG Jackson, Memphis lose vs Jazz
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cam Spencer scores 23 points, Memphis Grizzlies lose summer league matchup vs Warriors
Two days off and a practice allowed the Memphis Grizzlies to make some changes heading into their third summer league game in Las Vegas. Memphis brought out a new lineup and came out strong against the Golden State Warriors. Advertisement The Grizzlies led by nine points after the first quarter, but that was the last time Memphis outscored Golden State in a frame. The Warriors won the remaining three quarters and completed a 96-84 win over the Grizzlies at Thomas & Mack Center. Memphis is now 1-2 in three Las Vegas summer league games. Rookies Cedric Coward and Javon Small remained out due to injuries. Neither player has played in Las Vegas. Cam Spencer led the Grizzlies with 23 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Here are three takeaways from the Grizzlies' loss. Grizzlies lineup changes Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo had all of the usual starters available on July 15, but he decided to make lineup tweaks against the Warriors. Rookie Jahmai Mashack started in place of Zyon Pullin, and Will Magnay started over Armando Bacot at center. Advertisement Pullin has struggled most of summer league while playing out of position at point guard for most of his minutes. Bacot has had solid performances, but Magnay was making his summer league debut. Jahmai Mashack's intensity Starting Mashack proved to be the right decision. His energy and effort was evident on both ends of the floor. Mashack continued to show off a jumper that's been better than expected. He knocked down multiple 3-pointers and also attacked the basket. Defensively, Mashack continued to live up to the billing. He finished with three steals and added a block. Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson stats Jaylen Wells continued to play a role that's similar to the one he'll have in the regular season. He didn't have a higher usage or look to be more dominant. Instead, the second-year wing got his shots within the rhythm of the offense while playing off the ball. Advertisement Wells didn't have the most efficient night, finishing with 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting. He did knock down three 3-pointers, but he finished with one assist and no rebounds. Those numbers will need to improve. GG Jackson missed a game while dealing with an illness and return against the Warriors. He got more aggressive as a scorer as the game went on, but it was his passing that stood out. Jackson finished with six assists, which is a massive number for him. His NBA career high is four assists. What's next Memphis has one more scheduled summer league game on July 17 against the Atlanta Hawks (5 p.m. NBA TV). It's safe to say that matchup will be a tough task. Atlanta is 3-0 in summer league action. Advertisement Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies summer league highlights, takeaways in loss vs Warriors
Reuters
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Report: Grizzlies G Cam Spencer signing 4-year deal
July 14 - The Memphis Grizzlies are re-signing guard Cam Spencer to a four-year, $10.5 million contract, ESPN reported Monday. The deal reportedly includes three fully guaranteed seasons for the 25-year-old. Spencer appeared in 25 games (one start) for the Grizzlies as a rookie last season and averaged 4.2 points and 10.1 minutes. The Detroit Pistons drafted Spencer in the second round (53rd overall) out of UConn in 2024 and traded him to Memphis in a four-team deal last July. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three takeaways from Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies' summer league win vs OKC Thunder
The Memphis Grizzlies opened up summer league action and got off to a strong start on July 5. GG Jackson and Jaylen Wells combined for 40 points, leading the Grizzlies to a 92-80 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Advertisement Memphis was shorthanded, but it had enough firepower to pull out the victory. The Grizzlies ramped up the defensive intensity and held OKC to 7-for-23 shooting on 3-pointers. Jackson and Wells each scored 20 points to lead the Grizzlies. Here are three takeaways from the summer league win. A new and improved Jaylen Wells Wells wanted an expanded role in the summer, and he got that against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wells was a ball handler in pick-and-roll situations and took advantage early. While his playmaking still needs work, he showed potential and got reps that he didn't get much during his rookie season. Advertisement Wells finished the game with 20 points, four rebounds and three assists. He also hounded opponents with ball pressure on defense, further ensuring his role as a defensive stopper. Cam Spencer, GG Jackson impressions While Wells was already an expected contributor in Memphis, Jackson and Cam Spencer both entered summer league action with something to prove. Jackson did so by producing a strong scoring effort. The key for Jackson will be efficiency. He's proven that he can score, but sometimes the volume of shots is not conducive to what Memphis wants. That wasn't the case against the Thunder. Spencer is known for his 3-point shooting, but his full offensive game was on display against OKC. He finished with 14 points and added five assists. His ability to contribute without relying on 3-pointers will unlock his game to new levels. Advertisement First look at Javon Small Cedric Coward didn't play while he continues to nurse a shoulder injury, and Jahmai Mashack is out while a pending trade finalizes, but Memphis fans did get to see one of its three draft acquisitions. Javon Small made his debut against the Thunder. Small came off the bench but still produced a team-high six assists in 19 minutes to go with four points. His scoring and defense were notable strengths through the draft process, but he said he believes he's an underrated playmaker. Through one game, he's proving himself right. What's next Memphis will get a day off before returning to Salt Lake City summer league action on Monday against the Utah Jazz. Advertisement Many of the players who participated against OKC should be expected to play. Mashack's trade could be completed by July 7, which would clear the way for his summer league debut. Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies summer league highlights, stats vs OKC Thunder
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Memphis Grizzlies need more than small sample size of Cam Spencer's shooting ability
The May accolades started to accumulate, a sign the Memphis Grizzlies put together another strong NBA draft class the prior summer. Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey both finished in the top five in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting, and both were named first-team All-Rookie. The Grizzlies have had a member on the All-Rookie team in five of the past seven seasons. Advertisement Lost in the shuffle of the terrific 2024 class was another second-round pick who is looking to certify his positioning. Cam Spencer has a big summer ahead, and there's reason to believe the Grizzlies are confident that he can become a more reliable option in Year 2. Memphis wants to put more players it refers to as "dogs" around the core players. General manager Zach Kleiman pointed out Wells, Edey and Scotty Pippen Jr. as players who fit that mold. Then he named someone who appeared in just 25 games. "Cam Spencer is a Grizzly bear," Kleiman said. "Cam Spencer's got that in spades. I think he's got a bright future, too." The Cam Spencer arc Spencer's rookie season didn't get off to a typical start. After an encouraging performance in summer league, he started preseason camp with a severe ankle injury. That sidelined him until Nov. 20, when he finally made his season debut. Advertisement A string of sporadic performances followed until Spencer was injured in January, and he did not play again until March. However, it was one of those March performances that have the Grizzlies eager to see what Spencer can do in his second season. He provided a major spark on March 10 in a 120-118 win against the Phoenix Suns, making four 3-pointers and scoring 16 points while also trash-talking with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant. Because Spencer was on a two-way contract, he was ineligible for the playoffs, and he didn't receive much playing time for the remainder of the season. A role for the taking The Grizzlies drafted Spencer in part because they believed he was one of the top shooters available in the NBA draft, the same reason they had traded for Luke Kennard in 2023. Advertisement With Kennard entering free agency, Memphis has a shooting void to fill, and the answer already might be on the roster. Spencer shot 35.8% on 3-pointers this season, but he did so in an irregular role. More consistent minutes should yield more accurate results. Kennard wasn't always the most aggressive shooter despite being one of the league's most accurate marksmen. Spencer could jump right in and excel if he displays an ability to be accurate as well as aggressive as a shooter. Summer league The first test for Spencer will come in summer league. Wells, Edey and GG Jackson are among the Grizzlies players interested in suiting up for games this summer. Spencer teaming up with those players will be a good gauge as to how his aggressiveness can translate to the regular season. Advertisement If the G League was any indication, Spencer won't be hesitant. In eight games between the Tip-Off Tournament and Memphis Hustle regular season, he averaged 23.5 points and attempted 9.1 3-pointers per game, making 49.3% of them. Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies' Cam Spencer could carve role with outside shooting
