3 Takeaways From Grizzlies' Preseason Win Over Hawks

The Memphis Grizzlies have officially played their first preseason game in a 132-123 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. There are plenty of takeaways. This piece will outline three.

It could have outlined more. This was a momentous occasion for Grizzlies fans. It was their first look at Cameron Boozer. More generally, it was their first look at a brand new roster.

Here are some honorable mention takeaways: Quentin Post minutes will work. Karim López is raw. GG Jackson II looks good. There was plenty to observe in this game.

But these three takeaways are the more significant ones.

One of the most significant takeaways from this game was something that didn't happen:

Big man Zach Edey did not get on the floor.

That's nothing to be concerned about. This was ultimately a meaningless preseason game, and Edey is best reserved for the games that count. Grizzlies fans shouldn't be alarmed. If anything, they should be pleased that the front office is being cautious with such an important and injury-prone player.

Although they did let one injury-prone player strut his stuff.

Ty Jerome flashed just about every skill you could hope for in this exhibition game.

He made every read in the book out of the pick-and-roll. He was aggressive in looking to shoot, but also found teammates.

In short, he looked like the Ty Jerome Grizzlies fans knew and loved for 15 games in 2025-26. He finished with 12 points and 5 assists while shooting 4/8 from the field in just 15 minutes.

It's hard to say what the future holds for Jerome. He's a prime trade candidate for this rebuilding organization. Whether they plan on keeping him or not, it will certainly be preferable for him to perform at this level throughout the 2026-27 season.

But he won't be the Grizzlies' most important player in 2026-27.

The most striking part of rookie forward Cameron Boozer's performance may have been his polished interior scoring. He looked strong enough to get to his spots, and then his touch was soft enough to finish when he got there.

That gravity is crucial for any star player, but what was unique about Boozer in this game was his passing. He finished with four assists in 18 minutes of play.

No one pass stood out as especially flashy. Instead, Boozer's diming was fundamentally flawless. His ability to make the right read was advanced relative to what you'd expect from a young player.

That's the type of skill that could make him a superstar playmaker.