What is Memphis Grizzlies’ Ceiling? – Roundtable

5th seed with a 48-34 record

It’s unrealistic to expect Memphis to compete with the Thunder/Spurs/Rockets triad that will jostle for homecourt in the Warriors’ shadow. Beneath them lies a somewhat-vulnerable heap of teams with plenty of questions: Can the Wolves shoot consistently? Can the Clippers adjust without CP3? (#PointBlake?) Can Utah put the ball in the basket without Gordon Hayward and George Hill?

As unlikely as it may seem, if all the moons align for Memphis — Evans and (somehow) Parsons are healthy & productive, a mini-leap from one or two youngsters, Gasol isn’t traded, et al — they could be good enough to land atop that middle tier. The Z-Bo and Grindfather losses are tough, but the roster is transitioning itself to flow with the changing game, and in theory has upside to spare. — AJ Salah