Highs and lows of Zach Edey's preseason opener

The wait is over. After a long offseason, the Grizzlies fans could finally see glimpses of their new, exciting rookie center, Zach Edey.

Yes, Edey did play a bit in the Summer League, but competing against proper NBA players, even in the preseason games, is something else.

In the Grizzlies' first preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks, Edey played 18 minutes. He finished the game with six points and seven rebounds. He also had one highlight block when he swatted the ball on a drive to the basket.

He showed the start of what could be a great connection between him and Ja Morant, but there were also some problems, according to the Commercial Appeal Demichael Cole, who wrote an article analyzing the highs and lows of Edey's preseason debut.

The high: Paint dominance

Edey missed only one shot in the game and scored three of them. Two of those were lobs. One came from Ja Morant over three Mavericks defenders, and it is the first of many to come. The second one came from Luke Kennard.

Edey is expected to be an interior scorer for the Grizzlies in the upcoming season. Seeing him score lobs like those could and should become a constant occurrence.

Another of his skills that should translate well to the NBA is rebounding, which he showcased against the Mavericks. Dallas has two starting-caliber centers, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, who could not deter Edey. His seven rebounds were more than any Mavericks player caught.

Edey's massive frame should give him an advantage against most of the league's centers. The Grizzlies could be a good rebounding team after being mediocre in the category last season.

The low: Foul trouble

An issue that surfaced in the game against Dallas is Edey's foul management. Every time he was a little bit more aggressive, he fouled someone.

He had five fouls in only 18 minutes, and in the regular season, he will have to do better in that department, or he will be run off the floor very fast. Edey didn't have much trouble with the fouls in his time at Purdue, so he should be fine when he adapts to the NBA's speed.

The Grizzlies won against the Mavericks. Edey was one of several potential rotation players who showed they could be counted on. If the Grizzlies' giant rookie center adapts to the NBA quickly, Memphis may find it has landed on its long-term big man and a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Related: Zach Edey's mother reveals his childhood nickname: Little Buddha