The Toronto Raptors have steadily grown themselves into an NBA powerhouse. What lessons can the Memphis Grizzlies learn from their former countrymen as they rebuild their franchise?
The Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors are linked at the hip, both in the cosmic and current senses. Both teams were originally birthed from the NBA’s expansion into Canada in 1995; the “Grizzly” a staple of British Columbia’s vast forests. Unfortunately, the team quickly went extinct in Vancouver, keeping its moniker in a move to Memphis.
Years later, the teams’ fates crossed again. Memphis added touted Raptors assistant Jerry Stackhouse to its coaching staff (though he recently left to become Vanderbilt University‘s head coach). Former Raptors Draft enigma Bruno Caboclo became a Grizzlies regular. And the two teams pulled off a NBA Trade Deadline blockbuster, leaving Beale Street legend Marc Gasol in Raptors duds, and Memphis to inherit half of Toronto’s bench.
The Gasol trade may have raised the Toronto Raptors’ ceiling enough to conquer this year’s stacked East penthouse. Already with superstar Kawhi Leonard in tow, the Raptors consolidated their perhaps-excessive depth for an elite team player with oodles of playoff experience. Regardless if Gasol’s acquisition was the key variable, it is tough to argue with the results.
Unfortunately for the Memphis Grizzlies, they are headed in the opposite direction, lottery-bound after years of success. Fortunately for Memphis, they are already armed with potential star Jaren Jackson Jr, the virtual rights to Ja Morant, and a few potentially solid long-term pieces.
The obvious goal of Memphis’ rebuild is to compete for an NBA title, as Toronto is currently doing in the NBA Finals. With that in mind, here are five things the Memphis Grizzlies’ Front Office can learn from the Raptors as they claw back to legitimacy.