The Memphis Grizzlies have had one of the NBA’s busiest offseasons so far. How well has this flurry of transactions positioned them for both the now and next?
Grit N Grind gave way to a new era of Memphis Grizzlies basketball, and no time is being wasted ushering it in. After years of lateral and backward movement, former GM Chris Wallace was canned; demoted to scouting.
In his stead, Rich Cho and Glen Grunwald have been off to a torrid start, pulling off deals of all magnitudes with both short and long-term implications. Gone are Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons, staples of everything that was both right and wrong with Memphis’ franchise. Cho and Grunwald have heavily shaken up Memphis’ lineup and salary sheet, adding both movable units and potential core pieces.
Most about the current roster’s makeup – from the presence of dead-weight expiring deals to the seven small forwards – suggests the moves are far from done. This Grizzlies team could look much different by opening night, and certainly will in a year’s time.
The initial flood of summer NBA player movement has dried up in the aftermath of Kawhi Leonard’s nuclear bomb of a decision. It’s an appropriate time to assess the Grizzlies’ offseason thus far, as active players in that fray.
Beale Street Bears will be breaking down the Grizzlies’ moves in the major transaction areas: draft, free agency, and trades. We’ll also assign an overall grade, factoring all three, with other (in)tangibles like the overall salary cap, opportunity cost, and fan interest/League Pass factor.