Could This Be The Year The Memphis Grizzlies Win The Southwest Division?
The Memphis Grizzlies added Chandler Parsons to their “Core Four.” Their rivals are bound to decline. Could this be the year the Grizz win the division?
The Memphis Grizzlies have been to the playoffs six years in a row. Within that run, they have not won a division title. In fact, they have never won a division title. The Memphis Grizzlies recently added Chandler Parsons as a dynamic playmaker that can shoot the 3 ball off the wing.
Putting him between Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol could make for a deadly starting lineup. This team got bitten by the injury bug around the All-Star break and still managed to win 42 games.
Before Marc Gasol and Mike Conley went down, they were firmly in fifth place in the Western Conference. If healthy, they could have made the second round for the second straight year with “no shooters.”
Adding Parsons, James Ennis (37.3 percent career 3-point shooter), and Wade Baldwin IV (42.2 percent 3-point shooter in 2 seasons at Vanderbilt University) to the mix should bolster their 3-point shooting depth, making it easier for Conley, Zach Randolph and Gasol get their offense going.
Parsons and Ennis add versatility to the wing, where they can guard positions 2-4. Jarrell Martin, JaMychal Green and Brandan Wright can guard positions 4-5, even ones who are “small ball 4s.”
Baldwin can use his freakish 6’11” wingspan to hound point guards, while being able to cover 2-guards. Tony Allen, of course, can cover positions 1-3. All of the sudden, the Memphis Grizzlies have the versatility to use a variety of lineup combinations.
While coach David Fizdale will toy around with what lineups to use, is this the year the Memphis Grizzlies win the Southwest Division?
The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Oklahoma sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Kansas big man Cheick Diallo. So far in free agency, they let Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon walk and replaced them with Solomon Hill and E’twaun Moore.
Even though they have potential MVP candidate Anthony Davis, do they have enough firepower to pose a legitimate threat in the Southwest Division or the Western Conference?
The Dallas Mavericks have had a hectic summer. They struck out on big name free agents Hassan Whiteside and Conley and lost Parsons. The Mavericks also signed Harrison Barnes and traded for Andrew Bogut.
A starting five of Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews, Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki and Bogut looks strong on paper. However, it brings plenty of questions.
Can Williams’ health keep up with the point guard gauntlet in the Western Conference? Will Matthews bring more consistent flashes of his Portland days? Can Dirk Nowitzki carry his team as a 38-year old? Will Barnes warrant that max contract and play like the same guy that was compared to Kobe Bryant?
Those questions make you wonder whether the Mavs will pose a threat in the division or even make the playoffs.
The Houston Rockets hired Mike D’Antoni and signed free agent scorers Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson; both are injury-prone and liabilities on defense. With losing Dwight Howard, they must count on Clint Capella for rim protection.
This will lead to the Rockets’ scoring and giving up plenty of points, which will lead to wild inconsistency. Due to this and James Harden‘s questionable leadership, they are the biggest wild card team in the division.
Finally, the San Antonio Spurs are considered the favorites to win the Southwest Division. While Tim Duncan is debating on retiring, they added Pau Gasol to their front court, forming a scary trio of Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Gasol.
Those three will obviously play at an All-Star level; in Leonard’s case, his play will reach MVP-level. Their guard play will determine how far this team will go.
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are not getting any younger. Danny Green shot 33.2 percent from 3 after shooting over 40 percent the previous 4 seasons. Dejounte Murray is their future, but is he ready now?
While they are easily favored in the division, and for good reason, their health and guard play will dictate this prediction coming true.
In the past six seasons, the Memphis Grizzlies may have the best shot at winning the division this next season. If their core stays healthy and clicks, they can make some real noise in the division and conference.
They need to add a versatile, dynamic wing off the bench (Lance Stephenson, perhaps).
The Memphis Grizzlies have a championship on their mind. A good start on the road to a championship banner and parade down Beale Street will be a division title.