{"id":157937,"date":"2025-09-04T17:00:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T21:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=157937"},"modified":"2025-09-04T13:38:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T17:38:50","slug":"grizzlies-big-man-jock-landale-test-memphis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/09\/04\/grizzlies-big-man-jock-landale-test-memphis\/","title":{"rendered":"Grizzlies New Big Man Faces Early Test in Memphis"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Memphis Grizzlies signed Jock Landale<\/a> in July, it barely made a ripple across the NBA landscape. The six-foot-11 Australian center has carved out a journeyman\u2019s career since going undrafted in 2018. He split his time between overseas, NBA Summer League stints with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks, and reserve roles with multiple franchises. Now 29 years old and entering his fifth NBA season, Landale finds himself with an unexpected opportunity: a prime role in Memphis\u2019 rotation to open the season.<\/p>\n

Despite modest career averages of 12.8 minutes per game with 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, Landale has long been regarded as a bruising, fundamentally sound big man. His impact is better measured in screens set, rebounds secured, and hard fouls delivered than in box-score headlines. With the Grizzlies facing uncertainty at the center position, his brand of physicality may prove essential.<\/p>\n

Grizzlies New Big Man Faces Early Test in Memphis<\/h2>\n

The Opening at the Center Spot<\/h3>\n

Memphis planned to lean heavily on seven-foot-four sophomore Zach Edey<\/a> this season, especially after he showed promise alongside Ja Morant<\/a> in the pick-and-roll late last year. But Edey underwent offseason ankle surgery and is expected to miss the start of the season. His reevaluation is scheduled for early to mid-October, leaving the Grizzlies without their starting big man when training camp begins.<\/p>\n

That absence creates an immediate need for reinforcements. Brandon Clarke<\/a>, Memphis\u2019 versatile six-foot-eight forward, would usually be the top reserve big. Yet Clarke is also recovering from a high-grade PCL sprain suffered in March, a setback that ended his season. While the team has maintained optimism about his recovery, updates on his timeline have been scarce. The result is a wide-open lane for Landale to claim a meaningful role.<\/p>\n

\"Houston
Apr 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Jock Landale (2) reacts after a basket made by guard Reed Sheppard (not pictured) during the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Fit for Iisalo\u2019s System<\/h3>\n

New head coach Tuomas Iisalo has emphasized toughness and fundamentals in his early messaging, and Landale\u2019s profile checks both boxes. He thrives as a rebounder, using his size to carve out space in the paint, and he is considered one of the league\u2019s better screen-setters among reserve centers. Those qualities are particularly valuable in a system built around Morant\u2019s speed and explosiveness.<\/p>\n

Last season with the Houston Rockets, Landale\u2019s raw numbers were modest because he sat behind Alperen Sengun<\/a> and Steven Adams<\/a>. But his per-36 averages told a more encouraging story: 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds. That production hints at what he could do in an expanded role, especially in a rotation with fewer established bigs.<\/p>\n

The Early Season Test<\/h3>\n

For Landale, the first month of the season will be pivotal. Memphis’ schedule<\/a> opens with a favorable three-game homestand before running into a gauntlet of playoff-caliber opponents. With Edey out and Clarke\u2019s availability in question, Landale may see 20-plus minutes a night for the first time in his NBA career. Those minutes are more than just stopgap duty. They are an audition.<\/p>\n

If he provides steady rebounding, rim protection, and physical screens, he can cement himself as the trusted backup even after Edey returns. If not, his role could shrink once the rotation stabilizes. For a veteran who has struggled to establish himself beyond spot duty, this represents the kind of make-or-break stretch that can define a career.<\/p>\n

Competing with Clarke<\/h3>\n

When Clarke is cleared, Landale will need to fend off competition for the backup center role. Clarke offers versatility and athleticism, often thriving as a small-ball option, but he lacks the sheer size Landale brings. That contrast could work in Landale\u2019s favor. Memphis may prefer a traditional big body to balance the rotation when Edey sits, especially against teams with size in the paint.<\/p>\n

The battle for the five spot behind Edey will ultimately come down to matchups and consistency. Clarke\u2019s energy and rim-running style make him a fan favorite, but Landale\u2019s ability to absorb physical play inside could give the Grizzlies a dimension they have lacked in recent seasons.<\/p>\n

A Quiet Signing That Could Matter<\/h3>\n

Landale was not the flashiest addition of Memphis\u2019 offseason. Yet circumstances have thrust him into a vital role for a team with playoff aspirations. With Edey sidelined and Clarke still working his way back, Landale\u2019s ability to deliver early could reshape his place in the rotation and, perhaps, his NBA trajectory.<\/p>\n

For the Grizzlies, the early season is about surviving injuries and building momentum. For Landale, it is about proving he belongs, not as a journeyman, but as a dependable piece of Memphis\u2019 frontcourt.<\/p>\n

Featured image: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the Memphis Grizzlies signed Jock Landale in July, it barely made a ripple across the NBA landscape. The six-foot-11 Australian center has carved out a journeyman\u2019s career since going undrafted in 2018. He split his time between overseas, NBA Summer League stints with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks, and reserve roles with multiple […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5586,"featured_media":157979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,32,62,3],"tags":[1842,3599,4741],"class_list":["post-157937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-grizzlies","category-nba","category-news","tag-brandon-clarke","tag-jock-landale","tag-zach-edey"],"modified_by":"Kayla Fonte","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157937"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":157981,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157937\/revisions\/157981"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}