The Memphis Grizzlies built the “Grit ‘n’ Grind” culture around the “Core 4.” It was a success, but they never built on it for the future.
The Memphis Grizzlies established a culture that was unparalleled compared to other teams. When other teams zigged, the Grizzlies zagged. They surrounded the team with players nobody wanted to play against. They made you scratch and claw for victories by pulling them into the mud. Even the fastest teams had to slow it down to a methodical pace only fit for the Grizzlies.
Zach Randolph and Tony Allen established the “grit and grind” culture. While Mike Conley and Marc Gasol were the two players originally in Memphis, Randolph and Allen snatched up the locker room, and everyone followed suit.
It led to many memorable moments such as Game 6 against the Spurs for the first playoff series win in franchise history, the triple overtime game against Oklahoma City, the hard-hitting Los Angeles Clippers series in 2012 and 2013, and Mike Conley’s stellar return against the Warriors in 2015.
None of those moments led to a title, but it was a thousand times better than the city of Memphis could ever imagine.
It was fun until David Fizdale essentially trashed everything the core accomplished to implement a culture fit for a King — basically it literally worked because of LeBron James.
Out went Zach Randolph and Tony Allen. In came pace-and-space.
It seemed fine and dandy, but there was a lot of uncertainty.
Now, we’re seeing this Grizzlies team deteriorate before our eyes. There’s no more “grit and grind.” It’s difficult to find leadership in the locker room. More importantly, culture and clarity are out the window.
It’s evident now that “grit and grind” wasn’t a style of play, but a culture.
The Grizzlies did everything in their power to ride that culture in the present. In the meantime, they never set that for the future.
Constructed for the present
Over the years, the Memphis Grizzlies built a decent supporting cast around the “Core Four.” They weren’t super deep, but any of those players could’ve played on another team.
In 2011, once Rudy Gay went down with an injury, they added Shane Battier — a Memphis basketball pioneer who fit the culture the team was creating. He was a no-nonsense, hard-nosed player who made winning basketball plays (see: 2011 Game 1). He was great in his short second stint, but he was gone that summer.
The next season, the Memphis Grizzlies picked up Marreese Speights after Zach Randolph’s injury. He too fit the team’s image, but he also produced on offense. Unfortunately, the team traded him in the middle of his second season in a salary-dump move.
Later, they acquired free agent James Johnson as he was eyeing a NBA comeback. He flourished as a player who was going to play hard defense and fight for his team. In addition, he was productive on offense as a combo forward. Again, the Grizzlies didn’t re-sign him.
In the Grizzlies’ injury-riddled season in 2016, they traded for Lance Stephenson who found his groove with this team. He fit the team’s “grit and grind” mantra, but he also added a flair that would’ve made him the next Memphis folk legend. Of course, they let him walk that summer.
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What went wrong?
Time and time again, the Grizzlies built their core with some players who fit the team’s image, and of course, they got rid of the productive ones way too early.
Guys like James Johnson and Lance Stephenson could’ve flourished as key players for the Grizzlies. They aren’t All-Stars or anything, but they would’ve eased the burden of losing Zach Randolph and Tony Allen.
The biggest issue though was drafting players who didn’t fit the team’s culture. To start, they drafted Tony Wroten over Draymond Green because of their abundance of power forwards. There might not be a more “grit and grind” active player that has never played for the Grizzlies, more “grit and grind” than Draymond Green. He plays with more heart than just about anyone in the league, and he would’ve been a perfect pick for the team’s culture.
In 2014 — the next draft the team had a first-round pick — they selected Jordan Adams over Rodney Hood. Granted, we never knew what Adams could’ve been, and Hood isn’t much of a “grit and grind” player. However, he’s a long player who can defend and score the basketball very well. He would’ve definitely emerged as a go-to scorer on this team.
In 2015, the Grizzlies made a mistake by drafting the raw Jarell Martin. The better culture fits were either Montrezl Harrell, Norman Powell or Josh Richardson.
The 2016 draft was interesting, because the Grizzlies were also looking out a guard who could replace Conley if he walked that summer. Wade Baldwin wasn’t the clear-cut definition of “grit and grind,” but they didn’t have much choice. However, in the second round, they could’ve picked Tyler Ulis or Malcolm Brogdon. Now, they waived Baldwin as the other two players have prominent roles on their team.
As the end of “grit ‘n’ grind” approached, they could’ve furthered that culture by selecting Jordan Bell, but they drafted Ivan Rabb. The verdict on Rabb is still out, and he can still become a good player. However, watching Bell get minutes on the Warriors while Rabb is in the G-League isn’t a pleasant sight.
Many teams have a vision going into the draft. The Grizzlies failed to draft what fit the team’s identity and culture, and now the team has no one who could carry Tony Allen and Zach Randolph’s GNG torch.
Closing Remarks
This Memphis Grizzlies team shouldn’t need 36-year-old Zach Randolph and Tony Allen to win in the NBA, but it looks that way. They failed to capitalize on available assets both on the team and in the draft.
For years, they thought with the mentality of “what could we do now” instead of “who can carry this culture both now and in years to come.”
Now, the team is left without an identity and a culture. Teams were scared of the Grizzlies because of players like Randolph, Allen, Matt Barnes and Mo Speights. Who are they scared of now? Ben McLemore? Chandler Parsons? Mario Chalmers? Tyreke Evans?
There’s no chemistry either. It’s a hodgepodge of players — almost like a pickup game at Lifetime Fitness. The Grizzlies scrapped a team together and added some low-ceiling young players to replenish the team’s draft blunders.
You can hold that optimism of a high draft pick all you want, but this team isn’t fun — and the front office has proven themselves incapable of handling such a responsibility.
The Memphis Grizzlies shouldn’t have fallen apart when an aging Zach Randolph and Tony Allen departed. The front office is watching the bad moves throughout the “Core Four” era finally catch up with them.
My goodness, it’s ugly.