The Memphis Grizzlies are entering a transition. After finishing this season with a 25-57 record and, over the past 12 months, trading away franchise cornerstones Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies are entering a pivotal offseason. With an upcoming lottery pick and an additional first-round pick on the way in this year’s NBA Draft, General Manager Zach Kleiman has a lot of big decisions to make.
This offseason aims to hopefully set into motion the next era of the Memphis Grizzlies. There is a long list of things Zach Kleiman and the Memphis Grizzlies should aim to accomplish this summer. I’m going to give my best attempt to break down what I think should be on the Grizzlies offseason checklist.
#1 To Do: Establishing a New Direction or Cornerstone
During the “GrizzNextGen” era, the Memphis Grizzlies solidified their direction in building around their young stars in Bane, Jackson, and Ja Morant. With two of those three on different rosters and Morant being in trade rumors every day, the team is certainly in a state of flux.
First, the front office needs to figure out what to do with Morant. The two are at a crossroads. There have been numerous reports stating that Memphis has been shopping Morant since the trade deadline. There have also been subtle messages from the franchise that Morant may not be a part of their future. Recently, Morant did not participate in exit interviews and was not allowed to participate in the annual jersey fan giveaway during the final home game of the season.
Despite this, Morant has stated that he still loves the city of Memphis and the Grizzlies’ fanbase, per NBA insider Scoop B Robinson. He hasn’t given any clear desired destinations and has been mostly quiet about his feelings on his current situation with the franchise. At the end of the day, Morant still has 2 years and $98 million remaining on his contract. Given that he is a polarizing player who is ultra-talented but whose value has plummeted, the decision on how to manage him is complicated.
#2 To Do: Breaking the Stalemate
As long as Morant and the Grizzlies are in a state of tension, the entire franchise sits at a standstill. If the Grizzlies and Morant can publicly and privately mend their relationship, you move forward with a hungry Morant eager to return to his old form, plus a young core eager to cut its teeth in consistent, competitive basketball. You’re sending a message to your team and the fanbase that you aim to be a contender in the Western Conference.
If you trade, Morant, you’re fully committing to the rebuild. You’ll have the assets gained from the Morant trade and two first-round picks to add to a young core who will have the full reins to develop and grow without the pressure of playing alongside a superstar. In addition, you hope that whoever the Grizzlies’ top selection is in the lottery can become their new face of the franchise and cornerstone.
Over the last three seasons, the Grizzlies have acquired solid foundational pieces in the draft. Players like Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and GG Jackson II have blossomed into promising pieces to an eventual championship puzzle. However, it can be argued that none of the players have shown the capabilities of being “the man” for this franchise.
Through a combination of factors such as injuries, inconsistent play, and inconsistent roles on the team, these players haven’t shown the “IT” factor to be a #1 option on a contending team. The jury is still out on if one of them can grow into this role, but if the Grizzlies can find their “#1 guy” in a draft billed as one of the most talented in recent memory, they’ll be moving in the right direction to steer this franchise in the right direction. No matter if Morant is on the team or not.
It was clear during Morant’s rookie year that he was “the guy” for the “GrizzNextGen” era. It was clear shortly after the arrival of Zach Randolph that he was “the guy” for the “Grit and Grind” era. Grizzlies need to find their guy.
#3 To Do: Establishing a Culture
Whichever way the Grizzlies decide, they need to make the vision clear and decisive. An aftermath of establishing a clear direction is establishing a culture. It can be argued that ever since the 2022-23 season, the Grizzlies haven’t had a defined culture.
Through the events of Morant’s multiple controversies, widespread injuries, the firing of Taylor Jenkins, and two seasons that ended in the lottery, Memphis has lost its mojo.
The team is far away from being the young, boastful, and hungry hunters of the Western Conference. The franchise is even farther away from being the gritty, hard-nosed bruisers of the West as well.
There are going to be plenty of new faces under this new iteration of the Grizzlies. These new faces need to establish a culture under Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo that not only they can buy into but also the city of Memphis can get behind and support. If the Grizzlies establish a culture that is synonymous with their play on the court and the fans in the stands, they will be heading in a great direction.
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