Grizzlies rank in the top 10 in updated 2024 NBA Championship odds

Not having Ja Morant in the rotation for the first 25 games of the regular season certainly isn’t ideal, but this hasn’t impacted how highly the Memphis Grizzlies are being regarded by fans, media pundits, and odds-makers alike as we approach the start of the new year — not significantly, anyway.

For months now, there have been several instances where NBA experts and personalities have tabbed Taylor Jenkins’ club as being a legitimate title contender in 2023-24, with folks such as ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne citing their bevy of offseason additions as major reasons for why they could wind up being a serious threat to dethrone the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.

Now, with mere days remaining between today and the kick-off of training camps, it’s evident that these Grizzlies are still being talked up as formidable threats in the West and, just recently, the folks at FanDuel Sportsbook tabbed them as having the eighth-best odds of taking home the Larry O’Brien trophy come season’s end.

Memphis Grizzlies rank in top 10 in FanDuel’s 2024 NBA Championship odds

The pack is currently being led by the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks at +360 odds, which should come as little surprise considering they just pulled off the blockbuster of the summer by acquiring superstar Damian Lillard to now have paired alongside All-Star Khris Middleton and All-World talent Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Grizzlies (+2000) are directly behind the Cleveland Cavaliers at +1800 and are trailed by the LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks to round out the top ten, with the two squads boasting +2100 and +2400 odds, respectively.

The key for Memphis coming into the season will be to try and stay afloat through mid-December while Morant remains sidelined. Luckily for them, since 2021-22 they boast a stellar 31-15 record in such situations and managed to bolster their talent pool quite considerably over the summer, particularly with the addition of Marcus Smart.

Should they manage to make it through the first third of the year with their heads above water, assuming Morant hasn’t missed a beat once his first game of eligibility arrives, this team has a chance to make some serious noise.

3 Grizzlies tabbed as keys to get team ‘through first third of the season’

There are three players who specifically were mentioned as being keys to holding down the fort for the Grizzlies during Ja Morant's impending suspension.