While the Memphis Grizzlies may be long shots to take home any championship hardware in the 2026-27 season, they are going to have a chance to capture some individual awards.

No. 3 overall draft selection Cameron Boozer is becoming a popular pick to win Rookie of the Year, and the team may also have some other faces worth keeping an eye on in the awards department.

The Commercial Appeal's Damichael Cole broke it all down. Cole named three members of the team (two players and one coach) that could be candidates to win awards this season, starting with Boozer in the Rookie of the Year race. Cole called this the "most likely scenario" of the three.

Cole also added big man Zach Edey to the list in the Most Improved Player department, noting that he is a "dark-horse candidate who could emerge as a legitimate contender" for the award.

Lastly, Cole threw head coach Tuomas Iisalo in the mix for Coach of the Year, calling it the "long shot" of the three scenarios.

Let's take a closer look at each choice.

Boozer's name keeps getting thrown around in the Rookie of the Year conversation, and if he plays at a high level to start his debut season, that talk isn't going to disappear at all.

It's easy to see where the optimism is coming from. Although Boozer is just 19 years old, he has been described as the most NBA-ready player from this year's draft, and his role with the Grizzlies should set him up nicely to have a big rookie season.

Moreover, his production leading up to his debut season has been impossible to ignore.

In his lone season at Duke, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game en route to all sorts of national honors. He then impressed in Summer League play, averaging 18.0 points 7.4, rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in eight appearances.

While the Most Improved Player race can be a tricky one to predict, Edey does seem like a player who has a chance to take a leap in the coming season.

He earned All-Rookie honors in the 2024-25 season after nearly averaging a double-double (9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game). He then showed major signs of growth in his sophomore campaign, averaging 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per contest, but he was limited to just 11 games due to injury.

If he can stay healthy and show more signs of improvement this season, he could indeed be a threat in the Most Improved Player race, especially if his role expands. 

While Iisalo may be a long shot for Coach of the Year, Cole noted that Iisalo should finally have a roster that is "capable of playing closer to the style he wants."

Iisalo has had to navigate some tricky factors during his time as the head man in Memphis. Now that the Grizzlies have committed to a rebuild and have a clear vision, Iisalo knows what he's working with.

Memphis isn't likely to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference this season, but Cole explained that the coach could "enter the conversation if the Grizzlies establish a notable identity and make an unexpected push toward the playoffs."