Tuomas Iisalo's Memphis Grizzlies did not set out to replace Ja Morant. Not publicly, anyway. Morant remains the franchise’s most electric talent, its most recognizable face and, when healthy and available, its emotional engine. But NBA front offices plan for contingencies, and coaches who survive in this league tend to think two steps ahead. Over the past seven months, the Grizzlies have quietly done both, reshaping Cam Spencer from a complementary shooter into something far more consequential.
Spencer's transformation has been deliberate, data-driven, and now, difficult to ignore. Since December 1, when Iisalo really started trusting the UConn alum with the offense, he has averaged 13.7 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the field, including 45.7% from beyond the arc. The 25-year-old actually dishes out more assists than Morant (7.5) while committing far fewer turnovers (1.8 to 3.2) and needing fewer shots (13.7 to 21.2) in approximately the same amount of minutes.
Improvement has not come against cupcake competition, either. Spencer is averaging 8.5 assists per game in 2026, and six of those seven contests have been against postseason-bound opponents. There seems to have been some forethought into developing a new point guard.
Knowing Scotty Pippen Jr. might miss the season, and Ja Morant may want to be traded elsewhere, required the insurance plan.
“(Spencer's) improvement started at the end of May when he committed to the summer training,” Iisalo noted. “He really has a unique skill in his shooting, so we set out with the clear objective of turning into leveraging that shot even more. Meaning that instead of being in a position to be that catch and shoot guy, to becoming a guy who can pull up out of pick and rolls. Then we use that against the defense because they have to be more aggressive.”
Iisalo’s fingerprints are all over the shift. The coach did not simply give Spencer more freedom; he re-engineered his role, beginning months before the season ever tipped off. Defenses must now decide whether to stay home and let him create space for teammates, or chase him over screens and risk giving up an open look to one of the NBA's most accurate three-point shooters.
“In becoming a playmaker, this process changes (Spencer's) natural position from more of a shooting guard into a point guard,” Iisalo explained. “Defensively, he is doing a better and better job. Offensively, he is about to create shots because of the gravity that he has with or without the ball. It's a great testament to the power of practice.”
That last part matters more than the box score reflects. Spencer's defensive responsibilities have increased dramatically as he's taken on primary ball-handling duties. While he'll never be confused for a lockdown perimeter defender, his improvement on that end has made the position change viable.
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Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo talks with forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) and guard Cam Spencer (24) as they check in to the game during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedExForum.
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Zach Kleiman's front office deserves credit for the long-term vision. While other teams might have panicked and made a desperate trade when Morant's situation became uncertain, the Grizzlies invested in internal development. They saw raw materials in Spencer that most evaluators missed.
His UConn pedigree helped. Spencer won two national championships with the Huskies, playing alongside future NBA players in a professional-style system. He understood winning basketball and knew how to function within structure. The question was whether he could expand his game beyond that of a role player. The answer, increasingly, appears to be yes.
Spencer's assist-to-turnover ratio of better than 4-to-1 over the past six weeks ranks among the league's best for point guards. He's not forcing the issue or trying to do too much; Spencer is simply making the right read and trusting his teammates.
So sure, the Grizzlies sit in the last NBA Play-In position despite the drama and injuries. That's a testament to organizational depth and Iisalo's coaching. Spencer's emergence as a legitimate starting point guard gives Memphis flexibility it didn't have two months ago. If Morant returns and commits to the team, they have a high-level backup. If he doesn't, they have a starting-caliber replacement already integrated into the system.
Either way, the transformation of Cam Spencer from three-point specialist to NBA point guard represents one of the season's most impressive individual developments. It's also a reminder that player development, given proper coaching and commitment, can solve problems that seem to require expensive external solutions.