NBA Notes: Grizzlies, Ty Jerome, Lakers, Bronny James, Sixers

Grizzlies

If the Grizzlies have learned anything over the years, it’s that having a reliable backup point guard is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.

With Ja Morant’s availability often unpredictable, Ty Jerome is stepping into one of the most important roles on Memphis’ roster, as written by Parish Sharkey of SB Nation. And early signs point to him being exactly what the Grizzlies have been missing.

Jerome, 27, has the scoring touch of a starting guard and the poise of a veteran floor general. That combination has some in Memphis thinking he could join Mike Miller (2006) as the only Grizzlies to ever win Sixth Man of the Year.

He’ll follow a tough act. Tyus Jones, who quietly led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for four straight seasons and was the model of consistency behind Morant.

But with Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. now running the second unit, general manager Zach Kleiman believes this is the team’s deepest ball-handling group since the 2021–22 season. That’s the same year Memphis won 56 games.

Jerome, who finished last season as a Sixth Man finalist with Cleveland, got off to a fast start in Memphis. Filling in for an injured Morant on Oct. 6, he posted 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in just 19 minutes.

If that production holds, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic might look pretty smart. He picked Jerome to win Sixth Man on his Game Theory Podcast.

Lakers

It’s been one whirlwind after another for Bronny James, but he’s starting to look settled — and focused.

After a rookie year under a magnifying glass, the 20-year-old guard seems to be tuning out the noise and zeroing in on the only thing that matters: earning minutes.

“I think it’s not taking opportunities for granted,” Bronny said, via ESPN LA. “We got guys playing ahead of me, and whenever I’m given the opportunity to go out and prove myself, I think that’s where I need to lock in and produce for the team.”

Lakers coach JJ Redick has been preaching “championship habits” all camp, and for Bronny, that means defending hard, hitting open threes, and staying ready. He flashed some of that last year in limited minutes, including a 17-point performance against Milwaukee that turned heads late in the season.

With Gabe Vincent and others ahead of him in the rotation, James’ path won’t be easy. But the Lakers play a long season, and chances will come. The question is whether the rookie-turned-sophomore can seize them when they do.

76ers

The Sixers didn’t show much in their 128–98 preseason loss to the Magic, but Dominick Barlow might have shown enough to stick.

The 21-year-old big man, currently on a two-way deal, scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the kind of performance that’s beginning to convince coach Nick Nurse he belongs on a standard contract.

“Yeah, I think for sure he does,” Nurse said, via Paul Hudrick of SB Nation. “At least rotation-wise, for sure. He’s kind of played that way most days.”

With Trendon Watford still sidelined and Paul George ramping up slowly from injury, Barlow might just fill a sudden need in Philadelphia’s frontcourt.

“He’s been a very, very hard worker,” Nurse said. “Very studious, in there early every day, really putting max effort into this opportunity, and he’s trying to jump on it.”

The Sixers wrap preseason play Oct. 17 against Minnesota. If Barlow keeps producing, he might not be a two-way player much longer.