Best possible outcome, deep playoff run
I’ve given enough background on Memphis’s early season prowess without their young duo, but I haven’t told you about what happens when this duo reaches their full potential. It’s scary.
Think about it: this team competed against fully healthy NBA teams without two of their best players.
When Jaren Jackson returns, he’ll be a key defensive piece on a team that’s already top ten in points allowed in the league. Tack on the return of a key contributor in Justise Winslow, and this team should take a huge step forward.
Yes, there may be an adjustment period for a team that was playing with an almost entirely different lineup earlier in the year, but these two guys will give Taylor Jenkins more talent to work with. Both are primed to return around the All-Star break and no other NBA teams are looking forward to seeing these guys on the court.
In this scenario, Jaren Jackson Jr. evolves into a complete game changer. Between him and Ja Morant, there is little for most teams to do to stop the Grizzlies. They’ll burst into a middle-seed in the west and earn an easy matchup in the first round of the playoffs. They’ll make it all the way to the conference championship before coming up against the Los Angeles Lakers, who will stop them in their path.
Considering it took LeBron James to stop this team, this would be an amazing outcome for the 2020-21 season. This team would look to contend in future years.