Memphis Grizzlies make big leap in 2023-24 projections
By Mark Nilon
For the second season in a row, the Memphis Grizzlies found themselves finishing off 2022-23 with the second-best record in the Western Conference at 51-31 and took part in their third straight postseason run.
Unfortunately, now heading into 2023-24, hardships are certainly bound to pop their ugly little heads, especially early on in the year as franchise cornerstone Ja Morant is slated to miss the first 25 games of the regular season due to suspension.
Nevertheless, despite this unfortunate truth, the Grizzlies still are viewed in high regard coming into the campaign, especially following their offseason maneuvers as Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey has the club ranked 10 in the publication’s updated power rankings, marking a four-spot jump since the last release.
"“As the Memphis Grizzlies try to survive Ja Morant’s absence, having Smart will be important. And once Ja returns, the two should be able to play together just fine. Smart has plenty of experience off the ball thanks to his years with Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.What makes the Grizzlies especially dangerous, though, is the depth of talent and shooting outside the point guard spot.Over the last two regular seasons and postseasons (a period that includes plenty of Morant absences), the Grizzlies are plus-7.9 points per 100 possessions when Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are on the floor and Morant is off and plus-7.2 when all three are on,” Bailey wrote."
Of course, the Grizzlies’ offseason moves have been headlined by the acquisition of Marcus Smart via multi-team trade with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards, as his arrival not only sees the club unite the league’s two most recent Defensive Player of the Year winners but it also provides Taylor Jenkins with a trusty replacement option for Ja Morant at the one during his hiatus.
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Bailey is certainly not the only analyst who believes Memphis will be a top-10 contender in the association this coming season, as ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne believes their summer efforts now make them the biggest threat to the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in their quest for a repeat.
“I love what they did in getting Marcus Smart [and] Derrick Rose to be the veterans in that locker room. Marcus Smart is going to be a good player for them,” Shelburne on a July 3 appearance on NBA Today. “Last year they obviously they had some growing pains. They had the Ja Morant situation and injuries but they listened to what everyone said which is that you need some leadership and they went out and got two great leaders. The idea of Derrick Rose coming back to Memphis where he played his college ball and Marcus Smart now in that backcourt. I love what the Grizzlies did.”
And while the Grizzlies may currently be viewed as the tenth-best team as far as B/R’s odds are concerned, considering their newly-attained TPE, there’s a strong possibility that GM Zach Kleiman can still add on a few more pieces to this title-contending squad to boost their chances of jolting up the power rankings even more prior to the league October 24 tip-off.
