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Are more dual point guard rotations in the Memphis Grizzlies' future?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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It’s not a large sample size, but the Memphis Grizzlies excelled with a dual point guard lineup featuring Mike Conley and Mario Chalmers last season. It’s unknown if Chalmers will return to Beale Street in 2016-2017, but will new coach David Fizdale attempt pairing Conley with another point guard on the roster?

Last season’s Golden State Warriors, arguably the greatest offensive team in NBA history, had an offensive rating of 115.01. Now, what if I told you that a combination of Mike Conley and Mario Chalmers not only had a better offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) than the 73-win Warriors, but led a unit with a net rating (offensive rating minus defensive rating) 6.7 points higher? Would you call me crazy?

In all honesty, I’d expect you to.

However, the numbers from NBAwowy.com don’t lie. Of teams sending two point guards onto the court together at the same time, Conley and Chalmers put up staggering numbers together. Below is a full chart from Nick Sciria on Twitter (a must-follow for fans of basketball analytics).

Yes, 213 minutes isn’t a large sample size, but it’s still interesting to see.

Last week, Parker Fleming examined what a small-ball lineup featuring Chandler Parsons at power forward or center would look like. In his proposal, Parsons moves to power forward and Tony Allen moves to small forward, where both perform far better analytically. This, of course, leaves an opening at shooting guard.

Chalmers is still on the free agent market, but could his role be filled by rookies Wade Baldwin IV and Andrew Harrison? Both players (Baldwin IV at Vanderbilt and Harrison with the Iowa Energy) were far more efficient scorers than Chalmers last season—though, at a different level of play—and provided similar assist numbers. 

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Oddly enough, Chalmers was a far less effective scorer at the 2 according to Nylon Calculus, but it’s already known he doesn’t have the spot-up sharpshooting ability of Baldwin IV that is likely a better fit for the position anyways.

If new coach David Fizdale tries a small-ball lineup in doses, the numbers continue to say it would be lethal. Though, numbers don’t mean anything until the Grizzlies’ new additions finally get to mesh together on the court. I think I speak for everyone when I say Oct. 26 can’t come soon enough.

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