Zach Kleiman on Memphis Grizzlies Drafting Zach Edey

Zach Kleiman on Memphis Grizzlies Drafting Zach Edey

hey Zach how we doing Pete fine fine um look there’s no denying the resume that Ed has this organization has always prior prioritized cultural fits as well I’m assuming that you had the opportunity to visit with him what was it about him over and above his basketball skills that make you feel that he is a strong cultural fit for the Memphis Grizzlies yeah this is um Zack Ed is a particularly special fit I think for this group um in getting to know him we’re talking about someone who’s competitiveness is is through the roof care Factor through the roof no ego just wants to win um development focused year-over-year track record of of actual Improvement um um when we talk about you know the DNA of of this team and what we’re trying to build out uh Zack to to a te is that definition uh we’re we could not be more thrilled to to land him in this draft uh Zack there were kind of reports throughout the day of you guys trying to move up uh on the board what was today like specifically I think uh with Charlotte it seemed like you guys were interested in going there of how did all of this play out to you get toight let’s just say this is uh this is exactly what we were hoping uh would happen tonight uh Zach in the back Zach’s track record offensively seems like it should fit pretty well in the NBA to those who have concerns about his ability to guard in space on the defensive end what would you say to that I I think um yes I think I think to some Zack EDI uh is viewed as a somewhat polarizing player um for us when we think about let’s start with Zach you know and and the develop the progress that he’s made um what what he did over the course of his four-year career you know at Purdue making that national championship game um working on his body you know every year I think his his Mobility uh clearly improved you know year over year I think um I think there’s some misconceptions about Zack Ed and his defense you know we’re we’re talking about a a player here who was told not to not to foul out of games you know he he was a you know s such a significant part of that Purdue team that you know he his foul rate you know for for a big and and his dur you know durability for for someone who’s 75 with a 7-Eleven wingspan you know not missing games um not fouling out of games I I think two fouls per game you know or something to that effect I I think there’s something to be said about you know a allowing him to you know be a little bit more aggressive which he obviously you know will be able to you know at this level I think there’s a lot to be you know said about the situation with us you know with jiren Jackson Jr um I think jiren you know kind of roaming you know off of Zach his his weak side Rim protection um you know e Edy you know is the anchor you know in drop coverage I think that’s uh you know that that’s a look that we’re we’re very comfortable with and I think Zach you know has the potential to be a very posit POS you know impactful Defender you know over time in the NBA um again care factors through the roof incredible rebounder you know that’s certainly something that we wanted to have as a look you know we we have we have options you know now when we think about the push that we’re making you know to take this team all the way to a championship I mean you see it it’s it’s really difficult to get through four rounds of the playoffs and in our front court now there’s a lot of different ways we can play you know there’s we have um year-over-year you know evidence that jiren and Brandon Clark whoever’s the four whoever’s the five you know in that pairing is is a great pairing Dynamic athletically you know we were optimistic you know about what the the Zach Ed you know jiren pairing is going to be jiren and Santi you know we can spread the floor a little bit more pasturable shoot you know type of look uh but it’s it’s not easy you know to to build a team that really um can not just deal with different type of matchups but we we tried you know what what really appealed to us about um about Zach you know you spend a lot of time thinking about how do we how do we match up against this team how do we match up against that team Zach is incredibly unique and that you got to deal with him you know like we we now have uh you know from a from a size standpoint from a physicality standpoint you know that that’s something that other teams are going to have to Grapple with you know we we want to have um you know looks that we can throw out there that give us the advantage let them you know figure out how to deal with us and we have different looks we can throw out over the course of a game or the over the course of a series um that optionality I think is something that really intrigued us and uh we think could make you know could make an actual difference Zach talked at the combine and said that you had been in touch with him quite a bit and that he liked Memphis how early in this process do you would you say you identified him as a player that you liked and what particularly stood out yeah Zack let the cat out of the bag we we knew him from the year before we got to know him during the process uh of last year’s draft when Zach tested the waters But ultimately withdrew at the time when I believe you interviewed him at the combine Drew we had yet to speak with him Z obviously we saw the call where it was made to Edie that he was coming to the Grizzlies and it was a very emot and really happy time with his family and friends just walk me through kind of that call and what he said to you on the phone when that moment happened yeah it it helped that you know we we um have had you know opportunities to get to know Zach in the past um you never know how these how these drafts can go but um I think he he understood um both the the cultural fit and the ENC Court fit um there there was you know a lot of mutual excitement about him uh joining the Grizzlies yeah Zach oh here you talked about you being thrilled with the way this ended up but didn’t you try to trade up in the draft to try to take Donovan clinging uh I don’t haven’t seen that reported anywhere I’m asking I’m I’m saying this is how we wanted the the draft to play out tonight okay um Zach so um Zach was a guy you know he had over 500 post-ups in about 40 games last year at Perdue and with Taylor Jenkins operating with this big men as we’ve seen in the past with yonas and with stepen Adams they operate around the top of the key or around the elbows just what sort of misconceptions or anything about his offensive game about like oh he’s mainly post heavy but how do you seem fitting in this particular system given you know how Taylor has had the centers operate in the past yeah I think there’s a lot that Zack brings to the table obviously you know was incredibly successful as a as a postup heavy you know big in college but um as a a screen Setter you know a creator of space um as a post-up threat I mean like I I someone’s got to guard him you know like that that’s significant I’m not saying we’re just going to post him up all game you know but that that’s a a weapon you know that we have now um as an offensive rebounder you know cleaning the glass I think that’s significant um as a as a roll threat you know to the basket um J has a way of finding guys you know and and my God you’ve you’ve got some size you know for for J to find now I think that’s a that’s a pairing that we’re we’re really excited about and zachie Zack has a chance to shoot you know as well I think there’s uh he’s been a good free throw shooter not just this year he’s been a solid free throw shooter certainly for uh you know someone of of his size for for four years now um we’ve seen him you know put in the work on that front you haven’t seen it in games yet I’m not saying that’s you know uh necessarily going to be part of his game but I think he has potential you know to to be AO as well um with Luke Canard what’s sort of the latest on that decision and what are the factors you’re weighing with with that yeah we still you know feel very um very strongly about Luke as as someone who’s uh a great fit you know as part of this group U nothing else I could really say on on the matter at the time uh more focused just on the on the draft for tonight um with Zach being on the training camp roster for Team Canada um I assume that could impact his the possibility that he could play in summer league and your thoughts on that if if he isn’t playing with the Grizzlies this summer yeah fair question but uh we we have yet to digest and discuss that yet Terry hey Zach we know Zach can play 28 games but how would that translate to 82 games over grueling season with his size and the translation from college to Pro yeah I I mean it Zach’s uh durability you know over the course of his Purdue career is is somewhat remarkable you know again for uh for a big to have barely missed you know any games over the course of his college career obviously we’ll we’ll get him in and and get to know him and figure out you know exactly what you know uh how how we’re going to deploy him and the rest of the group you know going forward but um yeah I just excited to get him in here and and that’s not that’s not a place where uh you know we’re we’re concerned Zach in the back there’s only a handful of guys in the NBA that have won two names spith Awards prior to being in the NBA guys like Oscar Robinson Pistol Pete do you think that Zach can carry on that tradition of becoming Hall of Famers like those guys and also what kind of impact do you expect them to have immediately yeah listen I’m not going to set you know Zach’s career is going to be this or that but we we think he’s uh an a meaningful impactful you know part of our group who can help us you know achieve high-end team outcomes that’s that’s what we’re focused on and uh and I do think our situation will help optimize Zach as well I think having a big like like jiren Jackson Jr on both ends of the floor um I think that helps optimize you know Zach and I think Zach helps optimize us Zach you kind of mentioned it uh a player like Zach who um has achieved all these accolades and also has been counted out the Grizzlies is no strange of going and picking guys like GG or John Morant that have also felt CED out um what was it about his mentality when you were able to speak to him about just why he would be a great fit here in Memphis Yeah I mean it it jumps off the page you know the the competitiveness you know so some guys I mean I think you can see it just watching them you know but but sitting down with him I mean there’s there’s no nonsense he’s incredibly motivated um you know but you just the evid you know you you see it right there there there’s a year-over-year track record of improvement there’s a year-over-year track record of of winning you know at a high level um you I’m I’m excited for everyone to to have an opportunity to get to know Zack because I think that’s going to be readily apparent when you have a chance to get to know him you still have two picks coming up tomorrow um do you think that the the the gap between the sort of the during the day tomorrow is going to generate more discussion potentially more trade activity in the second round from a League wide standpoint or or for us either way you want to tell us that’ be great yeah we’ll we’ll see from a League wide standpoint it’ll be it’ll be interesting to see you know I I um we’re excited to have the opportunity to regroup and obviously we we set a whole board ahead of time but um an opportunity to take a step back strategize um you know s see what lines up for us but um we’re excited heading into the second round I think there’s um quite a few good players still on the board ex we saw a few Grizzlies players post on social media they seem to be excited about Ed coming and becoming Grizzly did you have any conversations with them throughout the night and and what are their initial reactions uh I will uh I will let them speak for themselves but uh there there is a lot of excitement about this pick not gonna ask in the back I’m not gonna ask if you see any comparisons between Zach and Stephen Adams but obviously when jaah has played with a big body screener like Stephen Adams that really seems to unlock him what do you think about that combination in the future as well yeah it’s a combination we’re very excited about I I ja is excited about that as well I I I can share that uh what Jo continued to speak on it I think he already has on on social media tonight um but yes I I think having a big you know on the roster who brings that element to the table um is really significant for us you know again like I think some matchups you know we we want the flexibility to be able to you know kind of um have different looks where where we have the advantage and I feel like we we now have that um I I but but specifically on that point I we see significant value you know having a big like that Visa job yeah um Zach in the second round uh tomorrow just based on the way you seen the end of the first round play out uh how do you feel about the board where it is now for yourself and what particularly are you looking for in the second round feel good feel good about the board but you’ll have to stay tuned to see what uh what we might do tomorrow won’t can’t give any hints there thanks thanks everyone you like thisat so you like I want it even more casual this is are you talking about the press conference format or the two draft process the

Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman meets with the media to discuss drafting Zach Edey out of Purdue with the 9th overall pick in the NBA Draft.

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