The 2024-25 NBA season presents the Memphis Grizzlies with an opportunity to redeem themselves after over a year of turmoil and injuries that turned a team that was once the NBA's daring into an afterthought. Ja Morant is available to begin this season, looks refreshed, and is ready to turn the corner in his career for the better.
Also, the team's biggest question marks about the center position and wing rotation were answered with the emergence of GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. and the drafting of Zach Edey. There are no guarantees that those players will display what is expected of them but the presence of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will them ease into their roles.
As the team prepares to open the season in Salt Lake City, Utah, the best and worst-case scenarios this team can face will be determined by a myriad of alternatives.
Best Case: Top 4 seed in the Western Conference
While the Grizzlies took a "bye" season last season after back-to-back number two seed finishes, other young teams in the Western Conference took the next step towards contention by finishing tied for the best record in the conference. Those teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, are expected to remain in the top half of the conference.
The depth of the Western Conference puts pressure on this Grizzlies team as they don't want to fall behind and miss their chance at a contending window as the core gets older. Injuries will be the main culprit in the Grizzlies' season but specifically, the health of their best players will determine what this team can do.
Feeling in the gaps around a healthy Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will help this team achieve the success that is expected of this team. A top-four finish in the Western Conference is obtainable, granted those three remain relatively healthy, and the others around them play their roles well.
Worst Case: Miss the Playoffs/Play-in
The Western Conference realistically has 13 out of their 15 teams that have a chance to make the playoffs or play-in, which consists of only 10 spots. The three teams that missed out last season, including the Grizzlies, are the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets.
The top 10 teams from last season, some more than others, are all expected to remain in the thick of the race that was only separated by five games between the fourth and 10th seeds. The health of the Grizzlies is only one part of the equation to ensure this team avoids missing the party entirely.
The fit of Marcus Smart, the effectiveness of Zach Edey, and the bench production from Brandon Clarke, Santi Aldama, Luke Kennard, and the young guys will play a factor in where this team finishes in the standings. The talent level of this team is enough to compete at winning the West but the gap between the top 13 teams in the Western Conference isn't that large.