None of the four young men disappointed Link.
Jokic had already begun to reveal his talent. After being recommended to Barcelona last season but rejected for failing the physical tests, the big guy's pride had taken a severe hit.
From then on, the chubby kid worked hard to improve. He played exceptionally well last season and completed most of the training assignments the Grizzlies had given him.
His efforts had not gone to waste. Now, the results were all on display on the practice court.
Excellent playmaking and passing, a soft touch, range extending beyond the three-point line, solid fundamentals...
Jokic had displayed nearly all of his strengths, leaving Harrell dazed and overwhelmed.
More importantly, that seemingly unthreatening chubby white center was actually quite good at protecting the rim.
He could not soar through the air for spectacular blocks, but he always seemed to be in exactly the right defensive position.
Dinwiddie also showed off his all-around game. His style was more like that of a team's primary scorer.
Shooting, driving, passing—he could do it all.
Guards this versatile truly needed time to develop. If they did not level up enough, they would turn into players who could do nothing. But once they made it, they were absolute weapons.
Richardson was in a similar situation to Dinwiddie. If he developed smoothly, he should be able to form a very formidable shooting guard rotation with Dinwiddie.
With Butler gone, and Carter and Tony Allen no longer suited to carry starting responsibilities because of their age, the development of these two was crucial to the Grizzlies.
Finally, although Montrezl Harrell had come out on the losing end against Jokic, people still got to see what made him special.
The most obvious thing was how hard he played. Even in a mere scrimmage,