In the recent GM Survey that was released by NBA.com, the Memphis Grizzlies finished third behind the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers as the team whose level of success this season is toughest to predict.
This made me wonder what success would really mean for the Grizzlies in the upcoming season. While it is undoubtedly tough to predict the number of wins they will get or how far they’ll reach in the playoffs, I don’t believe the outcome alone would be enough to indicate the team’s success.
Failing to make a deep run this season should not be considered a step back or a sign of regression for the Memphis Grizzlies
Last season the Grizzlies won 56 games and took the eventual champions to six games, while missing their star player, Ja Morant, for three games of the series. This summer they kept their top-8 core players (Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Tyus Jones, and Ziaire Williams), so it’s fair for the fans to expect similar success.
However, the Western Conference will be significantly stronger this season. With star players returning from injury (Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Jamal Murray, Zion Williamson) and teams adding key players in the summer, the race in the West is expected to be as crowded as ever.
Despite the competition, the Grizzlies are definitely capable of keeping up and being among the top teams in the conference. Avoiding the play-in tournament and putting up a fight in the playoffs would look like a successful 2022-23 season in my eyes.
Putting up a fight in the playoffs could mean making a deep run and reaching the conference finals, or even the NBA Finals. But putting up a fight could also very well mean falling to the first round in seven games, by one of the many strong teams that there are in the West (Nuggets, Warriors, and Clippers to name a few).
The Grizzlies’ front office has a plan. A plan that they have been consistently sticking to over the last few years and they surely chose to continue doing so this year.
The development of the young core remains the team’s first priority. This summer, despite what was a crazy off-season, the Grizzlies stayed quiet and became even younger. They showed no willingness of skipping steps and kept doing things their way.
The Grizzlies have all the pieces to be a contender in today’s NBA. But they remain a young team that has a lot more to learn. Their goal is to bring a championship to the city of Memphis, but it doesn’t have to happen this season.
Nor should it be considered a failure if it doesn’t. Not if Morant and Bane take another leap, Ziaire Williams has a breakout season and Dillon Brooks fixes his flaws, becoming the perfect fit on the team’s starting lineup.
Things like these should be the indicators of success for this season, no matter where the Grizzlies end up in the standings.
Memphis fans should be in for a long ride. Every future playoff heartbreak will bring them a step closer to the end goal. It won’t always be fun, but it will all be worth it.