Today we take a look at the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that was ravaged by injury last season that is looking to get back in the mix in the West
If I presented you a team that in the span of a year went from the second seed in their conference to the 13th and won 24 less games than the year before, you would probably think that this was a team that needed to make some sort of change. If I then told you that that team effectively made no major changes, you might question the competency of their operation. The team in question is the Memphis Grizzlies, and this two year rollercoaster is indicative of how chaotic and unpredictable their season was in 2023-24.
Last season, the average for players per team (excluding Memphis) was 21.5. This seems reasonable when you account for a full roster of 15 players and then accounting for injuries and spot fill-ins from G League players. The Grizzlies had the most rostered players last season with 33 different players logging minutes for the team en route to a disappointing 27-55 campaign.
Up and down the roster, when you look at the players that matter, the Grizzlies were ravaged by injury. Superstar point guard Ja Morant only played 9 games. Off-season acquisition Marcus Smart only played 20 games, and Desmond Bane only played 42 games. By the end of the season, the Grizzlies were fielding players that even the most dedicated basketball fan had never heard of. So when the season was over, the Grizzlies had to assess what they had and decide on the direction to take.
The team is still profoundly young, with their three best players (Morant, Bane, and big man Jaren Jackson Jr) all under the age of 26. These three players have also been extended so there is not much in the way of wiggle room for the team to add talent, outside of small short term deals to improve on the fringes. So the team made the decision to chalk up this last season to bad injury luck and to be back in the mix next season.
It feels like a prudent analysis of their talent and situation. When healthy, Morant is one of the most dynamic and explosive players in the league and Bane has always been a reliable shooter from the outside as a career 41% three point shooter. What the injuries to Bane and Morant enabled, however, is an expanded role for Jaren Jackson Jr, who led the Grizzlies with 66 games played. Jackson had career highs in points, assists, and minutes per game, which it can be argued will be beneficial for the team when it is back at full strength.
In the Draft, the Grizzlies ended up with three players and all of them have a lot of college experience. The Grizzlies are following a trend that championship contending teams like the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets have employed in recent years: draft players with multiple years of college experience that can come in and contribute right away. Their later picks in particular show this thought process, as both Jaylen Wells from Washington State and Cam Spencer from UConn should be able to come in and provide athleticism and shooting from day one.
Their first draft pick also happens to be the one that has received the most scrutiny. With the 9th pick, the Grizzlies selected center Zach Edey from Purdue. Edey is a 7’5” center that proved himself to be a matchup nightmare in college, en route to being named National Player of the Year. At the NBA level, Edey presents an interesting trade off. On one hand, he is a gifted passer that will likely draw some gravity and potentially draw fouls. On the other hand, he could be a liability defensively with a lack of mobility and ability to switch onto smaller players when needed. More than anything, it is likely that he has a limited role but the risk of taking him with a top ten pick is nonetheless interesting.
Two other players that shined for Memphis despite a disappointing season were GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. Jackson specifically showed shot making capability and averaged 15 points per game on decent efficiency when he was on the floor. I would expect him to be a meaningful part of this rotation this year as the Grizzlies look to jump back into contention. In that sense, one bad season could be seen as a blessing of clarity for the Grizzlies to see what they had in their young players like Williams, Jackson, Santi Aldama, and Jake LaRavia.
It can be presumed that this clarity will be beneficial for the Grizzlies immediate future, as coach Taylor Jenkins will have extensive experience on what roles these players can and cannot thrive in. The big question for the Grizzlies as always will revolve around Ja Morant. Will he stay healthy, are his off the court troubles finally behind him, and can he play at an MVP caliber level to elevate this team to the next echelon of NBA teams. If he can realize this potential, the Grizzlies can be good enough to be a top 6 team in the Western Conference. If not, then this time next year Memphis will have a lot more questions than answers about their direction. One thing is certain though, the Grizzlies will be a much better team this coming season than they were last year.
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