Desmond Bane definitely wasn't the problem in Memphis. So trading him, as the Grizzlies did this offseason, isn't going to "solve" anything in 2025-26 or beyond. Yes, the package of picks the Griz got in return for the sharpshooter was abundant and sets them up with assets in the future. That's great. But the current team objectively got worse in that trade, and if the Grizzlies were a first-round exit with Bane, it's hard to imagine them being anything more without him. So... now what? My gut says another big trade is coming for the Grizzlies, potentially at the trade deadline this year. But will it be a trade of addition or subtraction for this franchise?
The combination of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. is a good enough young duo to build around. JJJ made his second All-Star Game last year, and even though Ja had a "down" year for his standards, I expect a true bounceback in 2025-26. But rolling with these two, plus the supporting cast the Grizzlies have now, feels like skating the line a little bit. I think the Grizz have a decision to make: trade one of the young stars and truly reevaluate the roster as a whole... or sell out for a third star with the cadre of young players and picks the Grizzlies now have.
Grizzlies are in no man's land, but have multiple paths available
This is still a good NBA roster that also made some nice pickups to surround Ja and JJJ, including former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome and rookie Cedric Coward (509 stand up). Plus, more development and a healthy season from Jaylen Wells all combine to form a competitive, fun team.
But there's so much low-hanging fruit right now, and inaction would be the only bad path. If the plan is to compete now, there's no use hoarding picks — trade them for the next disgruntled star. Because taking the Oklahoma City route of trying to win while simultaneously gathering assets only really works if you have players like SGA, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. I will defend the honor of most of these Grizzlies... but they can't quite compete with the top-end talent of the Thunder, and we saw that in last year's playoffs.
But if the Grizzlies aren't fully confident that this nucleus can grow into a contender — in other words, the plan is not to compete now — then they should hoard those picks, and hoard even more of them by looking for a trade partner for Jaren Jackson Jr, who I think would be an easier sell than Ja Morant at this moment.
For the record, I'm not saying the team should trade JJJ — the 25 year-old, two-time All-Star and 2022-23 DPOY is the type of cornerstone who fits on any kind of roster. I am saying, though, that the Desmond Bane trade looked like step one for this team. And in order to not get caught in the middle of the road, the Grizzlies need to add a step two and three to that process as well. Whether those steps should be toward a ring now or toward high draft picks the next few years depends on who you ask.
Things aren't bleak for the Grizzlies right now. Despite being swept unceremoniously in the first round of last year's playoffs, they do have two building blocks, real young talent, and now a stash of future first-round picks. Hidden among those things is a combination that leads to the Grizzlies being contenders sooner rather than later. The front office just has to actually figure out what that combination is.