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Earlier this week, Troy Williams was sent to the D-League. With Parsons and Ennis back, this may be the best situation for the rookie.
Memphis Grizzlies’ forward Troy Williams assigned to Iowa Energy. After playing twenty-six games for Memphis it was announced on December 26th that Troy Williams was being sent to the Grizzlies’ D-league affiliate, the Iowa Energy.
About Williams
The undrafted forward averaged 5.3 points per game in 17.4 minutes per game. Williams’ stretch with the Grizzlies included 13 starts, one being an 18-point effort in a win against the Heat.
Last year at Indiana, Williams was a very concrete player for the Hoosiers earning All Big Ten 3rd Team honors. He averaged 13 points and 6 boards while starting 34 of 35 games.
He, then decided to forgo his senior year of college and declared for the NBA draft.
Williams earned an opportunity with the Grizz after playing with the Suns in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League. In six games, Williams averaged 12.3 points with 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals. This performance impressed head coach Fizdale enough to give the the former Indiana star a spot in training camp, where he beat out DJ Stephens and Wayne Selden.
Williams presents a strong upside with his ability to shoot outside and play above the rim and elevate for slams which he showcased in preseason. With time, he can become a strong contributor off the bench, and help contribute as Memphis prepares for their post season push. With 6’7 height and above average lateral quickness, I see extreme upside in Williams. If he’s able to gain confidence as a shooter, then he can truly become a weapon the Grizzlies use moving forward.
Why he got sent down
The return of several injured players, including small forward Chandler Parsons, were most likely the main cause for Williams departure. However, look for Williams to take this opportunity to gain confidence with the Energy. Hopefully, Williams can hit his stride while in the D-league, and not get too comfortable.
Looking forward
I expect Williams to return to the Memphis active roster before the regular season’s conclusion. Hopefully, he can provide a scoring spark desperately needed at the small forward position. Parsons’ ability to stay healthy will have large implications on Troy Williams’. In the meantime, the Grizzlies need to develop some sort of consistency to regain and maintain higher seeding in the Western Conference.
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