The Memphis Grizzlies have had a disastrous year. Injuries have come down on them like snow during a Wisconsin winter, and it’s kept them weighted to the bottom of the standings in the West. It can be hard to find the bright side when everything is going wrong, but there are definitely diamonds in the rough of this Grizzlies season, and one of them is two-way contract man Scotty Pippen Jr.
Welcome back to Two-Way Talents! This series highlights two-way contract players from across the association that are balling out and staking a claim for a bigger role. The goal is to give unknown players the attention they deserve. This installment is about Scotty Pippen Jr., the son of an NBA legend who is quietly making a name for himself in the midst of chaos.
Following a rookie campaign where he seldom saw the court and an unencouraging 2023 summer league outing, Pippen was cut by the Lakers in October. Considering how hard it is for little guards to stick in today’s NBA, the waiving seemed like it could be an early death sentence for his career. That was not the case, though, as the Vanderbilt product has climbed off the edge of the cliff and found his footing for the time being. The Grizzlies, desperately in need of able-bodied players, called up Pippen from the G-League on a two-way deal in January and he’s used the opportunity to prove his worth as a pro.
The biggest contribution Pippen has made to Memphis is the stable presence he provides as a point guard. He’s a heady decision maker and passer who can be trusted with the ball in his hands, and those skills have been invaluable for a team rolling out rag-tag lineups of inexperienced youngsters and G-Leaguers.
Pippen rarely tries to do too much. Instead, he’s always looking to make the simple pass to the open man. He dishes out 22.5 potential assists per 100 passes, placing him in the 91st percentile via BBall Index. He excels at making kickout passes both when driving and when coming off a screen. He sets teammates up wonderfully, placing his dimes right in their shooting pockets so they can let it fly seamlessly.
Being able to apply rim pressure and collapse defenses is an important skill for a guard and Pippen possesses it. His punch and spray game is on point and he has no trouble getting to the paint. That said, though, his finishing ability leaves a lot to be desired. He ranks in just the 17th percentile in rim field goal percentage via BBall Index. He lacks the size, burst, bounce, and strength to really be effective as a slasher and, on top of all that, his touch is subpar. And yet, despite all those issues, Pippen is still able to create advantages and run an offense by just getting into the paint in the first place, and that makes his struggles less of a problem going forward.
To succeed as a little guard, you need to be able to do two things: shoot and stay afloat on defense. Pippen, who is 6’1”, does both.
Defensively, he provides value as a stocks collector. Using his 6’6” wingspan, he’s able to disrupt attackers and rack up steals (1.4 per game on the season). He even delivers a wicked block here and there. While his size and stature limit the damage he can do guarding the ball, Pippen is seriously wreckful and determined defensive force overall.
The three-ball wasn’t Pippen’s calling card coming out of college, but he’s clearly worked hard on his shot and the work is coming to fruition in his second year in the league. He’s connected on over 47% of his deep-range tries, displaying comfort taking catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble looks alike. Keeping up that level of shooting will be the difference between a long-term stay in the NBA and returning to the G-League for the two-way baller.
Looking at Pippen’s game as a whole, many comparisons can be made to former Grizzlies backup point guard Tyus Jones. Jones has established himself as an elite sixth man by cutting back on mistakes and quarterbacking offenses at a high level, and with each game he plays, reaching those heights looks more and more possible for Scotty Pippen. So, keep an eye on him, because the kid’s here to stay.
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