Ty Jerome is giving Memphis the shooting the Spurs have needed for over a year

The Spurs have put up 116 threes through three games and only made 37 of them. That's 31.9%. Meanwhile, Ty Jerome is leading the NBA in scoring at 34.7 points per game for a 3-0 Memphis Grizzlies team that happens to play in San Antonio's division, and he's making $9.2 million to do it.

I wrote that the Silver and Black needed to add reliable shooters back in May 2025, when it became clear Cleveland was letting him walk, and now I can't stop thinking about it. During the playoffs, the Spurs only shot over 40% from three in the first round. The subsequent series went (in order) 35.8%, 34.1%, and then 33.9% in the NBA Finals, and we all know how that went.

The Spurs' three-point problem hasn't gone anywhere

Ten of 37 against Oklahoma City. Twelve of 37 against Houston. Fifteen of 42 in Dallas. The percentage is climbing—27, then 32.4, then 35.7—but the three-game mark sits at 31.9% on nearly 38.7 attempts a night. That's 11th in the league, so nobody can accuse the Silver and Black of being afraid to shoot it. They just aren't making enough of them.

Stephon Castle is shooting 37.9% on almost 10 attempts a game, and Julian Champagnie is making 38.9% on fewer than four. Fox comes in at 36.4%, and everyone else is capped at 33.3%. The Spurs finished at 35.9% from three last season, tied for 14th in the league.

They're 21st right now. That's bound to improve, but nobody can say how much, making it the one hole that hasn't been plugged since Victor Wembanyama touched down in Alamo City.

Jerome is doing for Memphis what he could be doing for the Spurs

His forty-five against Utah on opening night was a career high and a franchise record for a Grizzlies season opener. Ty followed that up with 28 at Golden State and 38 in Sacramento. The former Cavalier is shooting 56.3% from the field and 42.9% from three, and he's doing it all in the second year of a three-year, $27.6 million contract.

The recently announced Western Conference Player of the Week's cap hit is $9.2 million, and there's a player option at $9.6 million waiting in 2027-28. He shot 51.6% overall and 43.9% from deep for Cleveland the season I wrote that piece. He's giving teams the business for less money than a lot of backup guards make, and he's been doing it for a while now.

Now, to be fair and transparent, Ty only played 15 games last season before a high-grade calf strain cut his run short, and he's missed more games than he's played over his career (247 games played to 311 missed). San Antonio is deep. De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell, and Harrison Barnes all needed minutes in July 2025.

So, I don't know who would have been playing what role, and I'm not going to pretend I do. Maybe it never would have worked. But this guy is a hooper. He was one in Cleveland, and he's one now. Watching him do it for someone else in our division is crazy.

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