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Memphis Grizzlies NBA Awards Candidates

By AJ Salah

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 07: Head coach Taylor Jenkins and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies look on against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half at Wells Fargo Center on February 7, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 07: Head coach Taylor Jenkins and Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies look on against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half at Wells Fargo Center on February 7, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images /

Executive of the Year

Not to be forgotten is the Grizzlies’ front office’s stroke of brilliance in bringing this season about.

Zach Kleiman has absolutely crushed it in his first year on the job, and given the Memphis Grizzlies every reason to think the frustrations of the Chris Wallace era are dead.

Yes, Memphis got extremely lucky in last year’s draft lottery. The Grizz not only leapfrogged to the #2 spot, they were able to ensure a franchise player, at the game’s most important position, weeks before trading Mike Conley.

But the mass-micro side moves they’ve made have set Memphis up immensely well, both in terms of assets and cap outlook.

Kleiman absolutely abused the trade market.

He committed grand larceny with De’Anthony Melton/Josh Jackson trade, a multi-layer indictment of the Phoenix Suns franchise.

He leveraged a first-rounder out of the Golden State Warriors (in 2024, when they could be pretty bad) by taking on Andre Iguodala. He then flipped Iggy for what could be a long-term starter (if Justise Winslow isn’t the next Chandler Parsons).

He compartmentalized all of Memphis’ whale contracts, and deferred their cap space optimally. Instead of wasting money on a crappy 2020 free agency class, the Grizzlies can be players in 2021’s loaded market.

And with Dillon Brooks extended at a very fair price, their starters are now locked up through 2022, giving this team time to gel and grow.

EOY is a different pickle of an award. Voted on by fellow executives, it’s far more subject to variance and bias with a smaller sample who all work against each other.

Kleiman has to be one of the favorites, along with the Thunder’s Sam Presti, the L.A. Clippers’ Lawrence Frank, and the Miami Heat’s Pat Riley.

Votes will surely also go to Toronto’s Masai Ujiri and Milwaukee’s Jon Horst, although most of their awesome rosters were in place prior to this season. As for the Lakers’ vast improvement, it’s painfully obvious the Anthony Davis trade was a “last year” thing.

Ultimately Kleiman should probably be seen as a slight dog to Presti and Frank. But Memphis was active enough on the market that every opposing GM should be aware how Kleiman gets down.

CONFIDENCE INDEX
Get votes: 100%
Be Top-3: 70%
Win award: 25%

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