What the Memphis Grizzlies’ 2021 NBA Draft means for a title run

There were a lot of questions for the Memphis Grizzlies going into the 2020-2021 season. Primarily, with Jaren Jackson Jr. out for an undisclosed amount of time, should the Grizzlies tank for a good draft pick?

The Grizzlies answered those questions by shocking the world finishing in the 8th seed in the Western conference all while knocking off Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament. Then, they proceeded to steal a game from the 1st overall seed, Utah Jazz before being eliminated from the playoffs.

The Memphis Grizzlies blew expectations out of the water in 2020-21

Expectations from everyone, except maybe the players, were blown away. Believe it or not, their run came to an end over two and a half months ago. The 2021 NBA Draft and Summer League have both come and gone and the start of the season will be here before we know it. How do the Grizzlies look to capitalize off of all the momentum they gained in the 20-21 season?

The “new” front office remains consistently unafraid to make moves for progression, and they have made plenty (including moving up in the draft twice)! So how did this year’s draft set up the coming season? To understand the Memphis Grizzlies draft and its success in relation to a title run, we have to first understand their long-term and short-term goals, both of which have been the primary debate amongst fans, media, and anyone who is not in the Grizzlies FO for the last year.