Zach Randolph Injury: 3 Players on the Memphis Grizzlies That Must Step Up

Zach Randolph is one of the best power forwards in the league and there is a degree of uncertainty surrounding his injury. While it's listed as just a bruised MCL, there are concerns that it could be something more serious than that. 

With the Grizzlies trading for Marreese Speights to add depth to their frontcourt today, you can't help but wonder further whether the situation is more serious, even if the Grizzlies had broached Philadelphia with the trade before. 

Here are three players that must step up until Randolph returns. 

Marreese Speights

In a bit of a "no duh" here the most obvious player is the newly acquired Marreese Speights. They didn't go out and trade for the man to watch. 

Speights' per 36 minute numbers over the course  of his career have been pretty good with 17.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per 36 minutes. If he can maintain that production, he would be able to come close enough to Randolph to approximate what he does. 

Rudy Gay

What a difference a year makes! Last year it was Randolph who stepped up when Rudy Gay went down. Now Gay needs to return the favor. 

Gay needs to make sure he's adding perimeter scoring. Gay's down a bit, 4.6 points per game. That's probably in large part a product of a change in philosophy and a good sign rather than anything about Gay's play. 

However, now the Grizzlies need him to step up. He scored a season high 23 in the Grizzlies first full game without Randolph, which indicates he's ready to do just that. 

Marc Gasol

The player who the Grizzlies are really going to need to step up here though is Marc Gasol. Until now he's been the second most important of their bigs, but now he'll be the most important. The Grizzlies will need him to rebound and score in the post. 

In the first game without Randolph, he was outstanding, scoring 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting, grabbing 15 rebounds, three steals, and two assists. 

Gasol and Gay will need to be an inside-out, tandem for the Grizzlies to maintain Memphis' playoff hopes while Randolph mends.