Tuomas Iisalo Details Why Grizzlies Want Multiple Ball Handlers on Floor

Three of Walter Clayton Jr.'s 4 fourth-quarter assists Friday night came during a 12-1 Memphis run. The Memphis Grizzlies closed their preseason 3-1 with a 117-98 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo wants enough lineup options to fit different kinds of nights.

"I like the overall — I like the fact that we have a ton of handlers, even in the first unit," Iisalo said. "You can say that Ced or Booz, they're both very good handlers for their positions, and especially Booz for a four-man, he's essentially a second playmaker. I feel like that's just the direction basketball has gone to."

"You need several playmakers, and a lot of our triggers or actions or sets are built so that we have two handlers and everybody knows kind of what they're best at," Iisalo continued. "I feel like we have a pretty good balance and pretty good role definition right now, and everybody wants to star in their role and not necessarily try to carve out like a bigger role or try to go into somebody else's."

Cameron Boozer, the third overall pick in June, started at power forward next to Zach Edey. He led Memphis with 19 points and 7 rebounds and had 3 assists, one of them on an Edey hook shot in the third quarter.

His father, Carlos Boozer, has shared advice with him ahead of his rookie season.

Cedric Coward had 4 assists, and each one turned into a 3-pointer.

Ty Jerome started at point guard. He added 4 assists, 17 points, and 3 steals.

Behind him, Memphis carries Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer, Clayton, and Javon Small.

Pippen played 10 games last season after toe surgery, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 assists, and had a second surgery on the other toe in March. The season before, he played 79 games and averaged 4.4 assists.

Pippen and Olivier-Maxence Prosper hit 3-pointers during a 17-3 first-quarter run that turned a 17-6 deficit into a 23-20 lead. Quinten Post scored twice inside in the same stretch.

Spencer finished with 11 points and three 3-pointers.

Clayton came to Memphis from Utah in the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade at last season's deadline. Across both stops as a rookie, he averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 assists.

Small, a 2025 second-round pick, made two free throws with 0.7 seconds left to beat Chicago 104-100 on Oct. 9.

Jaylen Wells, who started each of the first three exhibitions, came off the bench Friday behind Kris Murray.

Iisalo said Coward has been finishing in transition all preseason, in practice and in games.

"What that does, when you have a couple of ball handlers, you are able to push in transition more because you have two outlets that you can look for," Iisalo explained. "We have several guys who can push it anyway off the rebounds, but you also got guys who can get into the paint and spray it out."

"So I think overall, what's good, we can give different type of looks, and we have enough depth on our bench," Iisalo continued. "Guys have worked very hard throughout the summer and throughout the preseason, put themselves in a great situation. So even guys who came at the end of the game, they are playing with real structure and speed in the game."

Charlotte committed 24 turnovers. The Grizzlies had 14 steals and 26 assists on 37 field goals.

Memphis also turned it over 19 times. The Grizzlies attempted 31 free throws to Charlotte's 30, and they were called for 30 fouls.

Boozer scored Memphis' first points on two free throws 73 seconds into the game. A minute later, his dunk off a Jerome pass gave the Grizzlies their first lead, 4-2.

He went 9-of-10 at the line in 29 minutes.

The regular season opens Wednesday, Oct. 21, when the Utah Jazz visit FedExForum at 7 p.m. CT.

Clayton spent the first half of his rookie season in Utah.