NBA GMs See Cedric Coward as Breakout Candidate for Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies wing Cedric Coward drew votes as the player most likely to break out in 2026-27 in NBA.com's 25th annual GM Survey, conducted by John Schuhmann.

Dylan Harper of San Antonio got 27%, and nobody else topped 7%. Four players were tied there: Dallas' Cooper Flagg, Toronto's Collin Murray-Boyles, Houston's Amen Thompson, and Oklahoma City's Cason Wallace. Coward's name was in the next tier of 14, with Toronto's Scottie Barnes and Charlotte's Kon Knueppel.

Harper averaged 14.1 points over 23 playoff games as a rookie for the Spurs. Last year's winner was Amen Thompson, with 30%, and his twin brother, Ausar, tied Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller at 10% for second.

Coward showed up in last year's survey as well, among the rookies GMs saw as steals relative to their draft slot.

Portland drafted him 11th in 2025 and sent his rights to Memphis that night for the rights to Yang Hansen, Orlando's 2028 first-round pick, Atlanta's 2027 second-rounder, and Sacramento's 2028 second-rounder.

Before Washington State, Coward played at Eastern Washington, where he was first-team All-Big Sky in 2024. He transferred to Washington State for 2024-25 and got into six games before a shoulder injury.

In the spring of 2025, Coward committed to Duke, the same program Cameron Boozer was joining as a freshman. He stayed in the NBA draft instead of enrolling.

That fall brought Coward's first NBA media day, where Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman spoke about him.

"Cedric has everything you look for in an impactful wing," Kleiman said.

Memphis started Coward 47 times in his 62 games. He averaged 13.6 points, sixth among qualified rookies, and 5.9 rebounds.

He made 84.3% of his free throws, the second-best mark among qualified rookies. From the field, he shot 47.1%.

The All-Rookie First Team was Coward and four players who went in the top four of the 2025 draft: Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and Kon Knueppel. Coward also received Rookie of the Year votes.

Coward and Boozer played together in all six of Memphis' games in Las Vegas this summer. Coward made the All-Summer League Second Team.

In a 125-124 win, he drew a second defender and found Walter Clayton Jr., whose 3-pointer with 15.2 seconds left put Memphis ahead for good. Coward then made two free throws with 6.5 seconds to go.

Coward met with reporters at FedExForum on Sept. 28, before the Grizzlies left for training camp at Belmont University in Nashville. He wants Memphis to own the glass with Boozer and Zach Edey in the frontcourt.

"They're all three special players," Coward said.

The Grizzlies are widely expected to start Coward next to Boozer, Edey, Ty Jerome, and Jaylen Wells.

"No, selfishness is never, like, in my mind at all," Coward said. "I think a lot of people see selfishness is just taking more shots, like, that's not, maybe taking more shots is the right basketball play, but like you just said, that's how I'm wired."

In June, Memphis drafted Boozer third overall. His Summer League debut on July 4 in Salt Lake City was a 111-74 win over Oklahoma City in which he scored 15 points.

"Ced is a great player, so I'm excited to get on the court with him," Boozer said at his introductory news conference June 25.

GMs made Boozer their Rookie of the Year pick at 50%.

The Grizzlies acquired Jerami Grant and Kris Murray from Portland on June 29 and Isaiah Stewart from Detroit. Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley summed up the offseason in one word.

Memphis went 25-57 last season. Edey and GG Jackson are back from that team, and the Grizzlies added Karim López with the 21st pick in June.

Coward's four-year, $26.3 million rookie contract includes a team option for 2027-28, and Memphis has until Oct. 31 to exercise it. Coward turned 23 last month.