May 24
How should the Memphis Grizzlies tackle the off-season?
The Memphis Grizzlies just came off arguably their best season in franchise history, capping off 56 wins along with their best offensive-rating of all time — and it was all thanks to their young core. Led by the likes of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, Desmond Bane, and a cast of savvy role players, the Grizzlies are in prime position to build off of their success in 2022. Not only do they have the roughly the 3rd youngest team in the entire league, but a lot of their young guys are yet to bloom fully, and there’s still lots of room for them to grow exponentially.
Despite what naysayers may say about the Grizzlies’ playoff exit in the semis, the Grizzlies overachieved this season by not only earning the #2 seed, but also pushing a Golden State team with championship-DNA to 6 games without their star player. So, with all that being said, where do the Grizzlies go from here?
In short, they need to not only retain their key players from last year’s run, but they should try and pursue certain free agents in an attempt to bolster this already well-built roster. Let’s go over what they could potentially do.
Free Agency and Roster Deals:
Heading into the 2022 off-season, Memphis has a shortlist of guys that they have signed for longer term — and that list consists of Ja Morant (will sign an extension), Jaren Jackson Jr, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, De’Anthony Melton, Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, and of course, Desmond Bane. Not only do they have these key players locked going forward, but it allows them to make a few minor changes to steer the direction in the right way. On the contrary, guys such as Kyle Anderson, Tyus Jones, and lastly, a project in Jarrett Culver, a highly-touted prospect who has already found some difficulty getting accustomed to the league.
In terms of who the Grizzlies should be targeting to resign, they should likely bring back Tyus Jones, someone who was a rock-solid defensive player, and proved to be more trustworthy in the playoffs. To add onto that, Anderson shot a lot worse from beyond the arc in the playoffs in contrast to the regular season, and him being 2 years older could play somewhat of a role in choosing between the two.
With that being said, I think they could let Anderson go, especially when Jaren Jackson Jr is more than likely to make strides as a defensive player and could add more to his arsenal offensively. Nevertheless, the Grizzlies can still add more pieces to the puzzle, and I think there are a couple of guys who would fit the mold.
Pat Connaughton
One of those aforementioned guys is none other than Pat Connaughton, somebody who had his best season with the Bucks in 2021–2022, and would be a seamless fit on a Grizzlies team that could use another shooter and source of production. Not only is he set to be an unrestricted free-agent, but they’re in a much better cap situation compared to Milwaukee — something that could sway the decision of Connaughton.
Memphis could likely match any offer that the Bucks provide, given how guys like Wesley Matthews and Serge Ibaka are still left on the table, both players who still could play a role in a potential playoff run. I think the Grizzlies should pursue any of these Bucks’ guys, but most of all, Pat should be someone they put a little bit of effort into nabbing from a Bucks team that likely will contend yet again in 2023.
Otto Porter Jr
In Golden State’s playoff run, they’ve had many role players proving to be x-factors all throughout the postseason, and one of these players is none other than Otto Porter Jr. Before the 2022 season, the Warriors signed him on a minimum contract, that being a 1-year $2,389,641 deal, and that technically makes him an unrestricted free agent for this summer.
So, you may ask, what makes him a suitable target, if at all? You see, during these playoffs, he’s been coming off the bench and has played some valuable minutes, whether that be with his physicality and ability to play in a smaller lineup, he’s been a solid part of this well-oiled Warriors machine. We could sign him on a slightly bigger deal, perhaps even 2 years or so — and this would be a nice addition to our bench considering our lack of experience.
Development and internal factors
What makes the Grizzlies team so enticing would be how there are so many guys yet to develop fully, despite them already being quite valuable and beneficial to the team. Their star player, Ja Morant, can still add more dimensions to his game offensively, whether that be by working on his shot or adding a little bit of strength, it could go a long way. For someone like JJJ too, the sky is the limit — and all it will take is an expansion of his defense, and of course, a couple more offensive moves to level up his game.
I think others such as Desmond Bane could also play a part too, as his 3&D archetype has been nothing short of a huge plus to the team, and there’s no telling how much better he could get as a shot-creator. Currently, he’s shooting at a stunning 48.9% from three (yes!) whilst scoring 18.5 pts/75, and on much better efficiency relative to the regular-season. He’s done a lot as an off-ball creator, especially with catch-and-shoot threes and occasional cuts to the hoop.
If he adds more moves and becomes a little bit more of a threat as a ball-handler and creator, it’s unfair thinking about how all-around he would become in the near future. On another note, Brandon Clarke is still more than likely to make strides too, given his ability to grab boards and to finish consistently. Even still, there’s room to grow, and I think Clarke can use his athleticism to become better on defense, perhaps by becoming more adept off-ball and being able to keep smaller guys in front of him.
Another guy that could go through this kind of development is Ziaire Williams, someone who has shown flashes in the RS and postseason. Not only can he hit threes at a respectable rate, but he’s shown that he can be a great help and off-ball defender, and he can hit mid ranges too (shot 64% from 16ft-3pt). He can work on defense obviously, but his ability to block shots and snatch the ball away is a great foundation.
Finishing Thoughts
Overall, our situation heading into free-agency looks to be quite perfect given the circumstance, and all it’s going to take is development from our young guys, drafting players who’ll fit the system, and of course, going after aforementioned free agents in an attempt to revitalize the roster.
It’s likely to be a gradual undertaking, but with the culture we’ve created here, I’m liking how the future is looking for us. Not only do our players have the confidence and swagger, but they’re willing to put the team before anything — and that gives me enough belief in the process. With that, I’m signing off.
