Three years ago, the Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. trio looked like a future championship trio with 56 wins, followed by 51 in 2023. However, after a 48-win season and another first-round exit, the young trio is starting to be viewed as a fluke when it comes to determining if they are a big three.
The big three became a term widely used in the NBA when the San Antonio Spurs had a successful run in the 2000s with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili heading the roster. That group was responsible for the Spurs winning four of their five championships from 1999 through 2014, with the first coming with only Tim Duncan out of the three players.
The Boston Celtics formed a big three with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett in 2007 to win a title in 2008. The Miami Heat followed suit to win two titles with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh from 2010-2014. The latest successful big three tandem resides in San Francisco as the Golden Warriors won four titles with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green between 2012-2024.
The Grizzlies thought they were forming their own trio, all selected through the draft like the Spurs and Warriors' trios, but they have won one playoff series in five seasons together. After another Ja Morant injury has ended the team's season for the third time in the last four seasons, how long can they bank on building around these three players?
It's time to consider letting one of them go
Let's be frank, the Grizzlies are young enough to figure this out, with Desmond Bane being the oldest at age 26. However, the cost to keep the three guys together and build a formidable roster around them will become tougher as Jaren Jackson Jr. is set to receive a significant payday this summer or next summer.
The good news is the Grizzlies won't necessarily have to make a decision to split up their core three this summer because Jackson Jr.'s new deal likely won't affect them until next summer. With that said, they could get ahead of the curve by exploring potential avenues to upgrade their roster should one of them be required to go.
Ja Morant is the least likely to go despite his injury concerns due to his status as the best player and what he means to the city in terms of attraction and ticket sales. Jackson Jr. is an All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year winner, meaning losing him could cause irreparable damage on the defensive end of the court.
That leaves Desmond Bane, who is currently the highest-paid and the oldest of their trio, without an All-Star nod. Again, the Grizzlies could run it back one more year before the salary cap forces them to make a decision if they don't yield positive postseason results next season, but the time is ticking on their effectiveness together.