Rebuilding is never easy, and there is still some debate about whether the Grizzlies moved on from their core too soon. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder both won 60+ games this season and could have a legendary playoff rivalry for years to come. With how dominant both teams are compared to the rest of the Western Conference, the Grizzlies made the right choice to rebuild.
It wasn't long ago that the Grizzlies went 56-26 and made the second round in an electric 2021-22 season. The hope was for the season to start a dominant playoff run that could potentially result in a championship. Unfortunately, they did not win a playoff series again due to various reasons. Injuries, not being aggressive enough to surround a young core with more proven players, and the core not evolving have contributed to the Grizzlies being at their current status.
The Thunder and the Spurs are set to square off in the Western Conference Finals and could dominate the conference for years. The Thunder won a championship last season with now two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having one of the greatest guard seasons ever. And now, it feels inevitable that the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs are on the doorstep of a championship soon.
The Grizzlies at full strength were still well behind both teams
The first-round sweep against the Thunder in the 2024-25 season was a clear warning sign that the core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. was not going to be the one to win the Western Conference going forward. Losing Game 1 by 51 points was a clear indicator that the team had to significantly tweak the roster.
Even though the Grizzlies had a spirited performance in Game 3 before Ja Morant went down, it was very telling that they could not hold on to a 29-point in the second half. While coaching and supporting casts, the core had to perform at a consistently high level to win playoff games, which simply didn't happen.
Shortly after, Desmond Bane was traded last summer for a monstrous haul of picks, and Jaren Jackson Jr. got traded this past trade deadline despite signing a hefty contract extension. Now, there is a good chance that Ja Morant is traded this upcoming summer and that the Grizzlies run with a new core. Injuries to Zach Edey and Ty Jerome were major limiting factors, but even at full strength, the team would not have been close to competing with the Thunder and Spurs.
It is entirely possible that the core of Morant, Jackson Jr., and Bane could have won a championship had the team pushed the right buttons during the 2022 offseason. However, that ship has now sailed, considering how good the Thunder and Spurs became. Both teams have MVP-caliber players and also have high-level coaching and supporting talent around them.
The Grizzlies decided to rebuild at the perfect time
With how stacked the 2026 NBA Draft is, the Grizzlies all of a sudden find themselves in a great position to add significant talent. Picking #3 and #16 overall in the first round should help speed up the rebuild significantly, and it cannot be ruled out that the #32 pick could be a solid player. The idea of adding Cam Boozer to a core with players such as Cedric Coward and Zach Edey could make the Grizzlies a formidable threat much sooner than most expect.
Now, if the Grizzlies want to reach the level of a team such as the Thunder or Spurs, they must add the right veterans around a promising young roster. The Thunder traded for Alex Caruso and signed Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency following their 2024 second-round exit to the Mavericks. Even though the Spurs are technically ahead of schedule, they still traded for De'Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes before this special breakout season.
The Grizzlies have an extremely promising foundation to build upon with young players and significant draft capital. However, they can't get complacent like the last era and must acquire proven veterans via trade or free agency once they have their next core. It was the right decision to rebuild, but it will be pivotal for Zach Kleiman to learn from past mistakes to catch up to the Thunder and Spurs.
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