Grizzlies News: A detailed breakdown of Memphis Media Day

After months of patiently waiting, Grind City faithful will finally get a glimpse of the 2023-24 iteration of the Memphis Grizzlies, for today is Monday, October 2, which means one thing — Media Day (also known as Content Day).

Following their second consecutive second-seeded finish that wound up bleeding into a short-lived playoff run, last year left much to be desired from head coach Taylor Jenkins’ club.

Now, coming into a new season with several new faces in tow, fans are hoping to see a better turnout from their beloved Grizzlies, and both media pundits and oddsmakers seem to believe this team may have what it takes to go the distance.

Of course, before anyone can focus on late-April basketball and beyond, Memphis will simply need to take things one day at a time, with the first on the docket being today’s Media Day.

The event will have many different details and storylines linked to it, and to help you stay in the know we at BSB have constructed an informational list of times, topics, and key talking points that should be at the forefront of every fan’s mind.

Start time for Grizzlies

With this year’s Media Day, the Grizzlies are slated to kick off the festivities at around 11 AM (CDT), with Grind City Media hosting a live stream on their personal YouTube channel. However, NBA TV will be broadcasting its own live coverage of the entire league’s Content Day celebration from 1-5 PM (ET).

Biggest Grizzlies storylines

• Without question, easily the biggest storyline heading into the festivities relates to Ja Morant and the question of whether he’ll be in attendance considering his league-issued suspension for the first 25 games of the season. Per beat writer Damichael Cole, the superstar will, in fact, not be in attendance.
  • Recently, Jenkins discussed with NBA.com what Morant’s availability status will be during his impending suspension and if the guard would be permitted to be with the team for other functions (workouts, practices, etc.) outside of games. The headman noted that while the “hope is that he can be around the team as much as possible,” ultimately they were “still being figured out.” The fact that he will not be at Media Day, however, could be a sign that his presence could be lacking throughout the first few months of the campaign.

3 key Grizzlies talking points to look out for

• Steven Adams missed the final 35 games of the regular season and all of the playoff last year due to a sprained PCL sustained back on January 22. As a result, it was evident both from the eye test as well as the advanced stats that Memphis’ on-court productivity suffered quite considerably with him shelved. Throughout the summer, numerous whispers and video clips have surfaced suggesting that the big man was looking to be back to 100 percent to star up the new league year. However, just recently, Jessica Benson of Grind City Media hinted that Adams’ knee might not yet be at full strength during an October 1 appearance on The Anthony Sain Show. Keep your eyes open and ears ready for any semblance of information regarding the veteran center.
• The biggest free agency move made by the Grizzlies this offseason was the signing of veteran guard Derrick Rose to a two-year, $6.5 million deal. Upon his arrival in the 38103, many were discussing how the former All-Star and 2011 league MVP will likely be more utilized as a sideline mentor, particularly for Morant upon his return, rather than a true rotational difference maker. That said, some recent rumblings have suggested the guard could wind up playing more minutes on a regular basis than previously thought. During interviews, focus on how Jenkins discusses Rose and, hopefully, he’ll provide more insight into how he envisions the guard’s first season with the club will go.
• This summer, Memphis saw long-tenured starter Dillon Brooks depart from Grind City, as he was sign-and-traded to the Houston Rockets back in July. To make up for his defensive intangibles and on-court energy, GM Zach Kleiman seemingly made a serious upgrade by acquiring Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics via multi-team trade. Even with this overall positive move, there still is a glaring hole at the club’s wing position in the first five lineup that’s in desperate need of filling. While the simplest solution may be to promote from within, meaning players such as David Roddy, Jake LaRavia, and Ziaire Williams could find themselves fighting for the nod during training camp, there’s an argument to be made that pursuing an out-sourced talent could be the more impactful move for this title-hungry team to make. Look out for how Jenkins reacts and responds to questions regarding the current state of the starting small forward position.

Grizzlies now have the perfect wing to sign thanks to the Spurs

The wing-needy Memphis Grizzlies should strongly consider pursuing the recently bought out veteran, Reggie Bullock, in free agency.