The Memphis Grizzlies are in a position that fans have grown accustomed to seeing them in when health is a virtue. At 26-15, the Grizzlies are third in the Western Conference and on pace for a third 50-win season and a fourth postseason appearance during Taylor Jenkins' five-year tenure.
One of the stark contrasts from previous successful seasons, however, is the distribution of playing time that has many baffled by what the playoffs will look like in Memphis.
At the midway point of the 2024-25 regular season, the Grizzlies have a grand total of zero players averaging at least 30.0 minutes per game. Jaren Jackson Jr. leads the team at 29.4, while Desmond Bane is just an inch behind at 29.3 and Ja Morant checks in at 28.4.
In place of a traditionally structured rotation, 10 different Memphis players are averaging at least 20.0 minutes per game in 2024-25—and three others are at 14.8 or more.
It's a remarkable display of depth and balance from a Grizzlies squad that's overcome past injury woes by building the ultimate team. There are multiple quality players at every position, as well as a collection of diverse skill sets that seem to perfectly complement one another.
The unfortunate reality that Memphis will soon need to address, however, is that rotations are often trimmed come the playoffs—and this approach is thus potentially unsustainable.
Can the Grizzlies still win at a high level once they shorten the rotation?
Most have readily accepted that the trio of Bane, Jackson, and Morant will be playing closer to 35 minutes per game come the playoffs. It's simply the nature of the beast when the best of the best are on the court and competing at the highest level.
That development alone would remove 19 evenly distributed minutes from the rotation, which doesn't account for other players who may receive more playing time in the postseason.
The inevitable result will be players who have contributed to the Grizzlies' success spending more time on the bench than they're accustomed to. That could cause a fair share of disruptions in the locker room if egos aren't properly managed.
It'll also pose a question that simply can't be answered until the time arrives for it to be asked: Can the Grizzlies' top players flip the switch after playing limited minutes throughout the season?
Perhaps this conservative approach to rotation management is what the Grizzlies need to remain healthy. It's equally as possible that they'll be the freshest team in the playoffs and will thus make their deepest run since the Grit and Grind era.
It's also within the realm of possibility, however, that going through the regular season without consistently playing big minutes will lead to fatigue during an attempt to play into June.
Thankfully, it's early enough in the 2024-25 season for Memphis to begin the process of ramping up their stars' minutes. For what it's worth: Morant has played 31.9 minutes per game over his past five appearances, which suggests that Jenkins is already putting the wheels in motion.
If the Grizzlies are going to make a deep run come the playoffs, however, one can't help but wonder if they can do so without a sustained effort to emphasize their featured players.