Pippen is viewed as the biggest challenger to Ty Jerome for the starting point guard job, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.
Analysis:With Ja Morant out of the picture, Jerome has emerged as the most likely candidate to fill his shoes, though Pippen is also in the mix. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo called the 25-year-old guard an "easy fit" alongside other players thanks to his ballhandling, defense and ability to hit perimeter shots, and he figures to take on a sizable role regardless of whether he starts. Pippen appeared in just 10 regular-season games (six starts) in 2025-26 due to toe injuries, averaging 11.4 points, 4.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 21.2 minutes per contest. He shot just 31.3 percent from deep in that small sample last season, though he's a career 39.3 percent shooter from three-point range.
