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

Major moves for Memphis Grizzlies from summer of 2019 to now

Before drafting Ja Morant in 2019, sparked by several years of mediocrity, the Grizzlies made the tough decision of cashing out on their longtime franchise pieces Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. This move seemingly started a rebuild that would prolong successes, such as winning basketball or playoff aspirations for years to come.

The pleasantly unexpected surprise was how quickly Ja showed that he could be a franchise player. Morant’s rookie season success is what primarily kickstarted the debates for how quickly the Grizzlies were looking to be a contender. During his rookie season, the Grizzlies made moves to trade away immediate contributors such as Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill, for potential better fits like Justise Winslow.

This trade showed the Grizzlies were not afraid to take upside swings. Unfortunately, Winslow did not pan out and, as a result, the Grizzlies were back to the drawing board leading up to the 2021 draft and one would think that they viewed their title hopes as distant aspirations.