The Grizzlies have gone just 8-20 since the start of 2026 despite entering the year 15-18. Plenty of it can be blamed on injuries and coaching, but the roster also looks very different following this year's trade deadline. To no one's surprise, the Grizzlies lost once again and fell victim to a Jrue Holiday masterclass.
The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade shook up not just Memphis but also the entire NBA. Ja Morant's future still remains in doubt after the team did not trade him at the trade deadline despite the persistent rumors. One of the essential things for the Grizzlies as they rebuild will be to surround their young talent with the right veterans. In last night's defeat, Jrue Holiday just gave the Grizzlies a loud reminder of what they need to accomplish.
Jrue Holiday's championship experience showed once again
Despite having only 8 available players in last night's 122-114 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Grizzlies proved to be a very annoying opponent with the pace they played at. The game looked like an opportunity for the Grizzlies to capitalize following Donovan Clingan's first half ejection. However, last night showed exactly what the Grizzlies have to prioritize in their rebuild.
Ultimately, Jrue Holiday had other plans and pretty much put the team on his back alongside Jerami Grant. Holiday has been a great connective piece due to his high-level defense, and he is a reliable supporting option offensively. However, he was simply unstoppable shooting the ball, and he ended up scoring 35 points. Holiday hit a career-high 8 threes and also added 11 assists in the process.
Almost every time the Grizzlies gained momentum in the second half, Holiday would end up making a key play and preventing the Grizzlies from regaining the lead. While Holiday isn't in his prime, his experience last night helped the Blazers hold on for the win against an energetic Grizzlies team.
Jrue Holiday played an integral role in the Bucks winning the 2021 championship and was also a key piece of the Celtics' 2024 championship run. The Blazers just barely missed the Play-In Tournament last season, and acquisitions like Jrue Holiday are inching them closer to making the Play-In this year.
The Grizzlies need proven vets that can still contribute
A key reason why the Grizzlies failed to improve past the 2021-22 season was that they doubled down on youth. Even though the Grizzlies somewhat recently tried to correct that mistake, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did not have the impact the Grizzlies hoped for. Following a down year in Orlando and the struggles this year, Caldwell-Pope is clearly declining.
New signing Taj Gibson will be a great vet leader for the locker room, but given he is already 40, he cannot be relied on for consistent on-court production.
The Grizzlies since the deadline have played with very admirable effort and have young pieces to be excited about. They also have a loaded 2026 NBA Draft that should immediately boost the team's talent. However, most importantly, Jrue Holiday's masterclass in Memphis showed last night that the Grizzlies have to get the right veterans to help them win more.