Is Memphis’ core firepower being undervalued?
Will the 2024-25 NBA season showcase the youth developed in an otherwise meaningless 2023 campaign?
In many ways, this can be the key to success for the Memphis Grizzlies as they enter the regular season. The good news is that Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are back. Will they need a few games to re-emerge the three-headed monster in them? Sure. But their track record of multiple 50-win seasons delivers enough familiarity between them.
Besides, they are young (all 25 or younger) and in the developing stages of their primes. That-among several things-is the biggest positive.
The path to a title
Memphis checked some key boxes over the offseason. Re-upping with sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard was the perfect step following a productive NBA Draft. The franchise took a trio of intriguing talents, most notably Zach Edey at No. 9 and a pair of perimeter snipers in Jalen Wells - who has the potential to generate some Sixth Man of the Year buzz - and Cam Spencer.
Everything comes back to Morant. Will he be reliable moving forward with his conduct and health? When available, No. 12 is a superstar and has proven he can make his team among the Western Conference giants. This is evidenced by a 56-win season in 2021-22, a season many viewed as Grind City's long-overdue breakthrough.
Speaking of conferences, this year will deliver some of the tightest battles. In many eyes, the top four teams in the West are set, with Memphis trying to tip-toe with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
CBS Sports' Sam Quinn has the team's over-under at 47.5 wins with the preseason playing out. But that number can go much higher, especially if the younger players come to prove a point.
"GG Jackson, Vince Williams, and Scotty Pippen Jr . are real players," Quinn writes . "The theory behind drafting Zach Edey was that he could replicate Jonas Valanciunas' interior scoring and Steven Adams' offensive rebounding. This is a deceptively deep and versatile group. The depth is cheap. Morant, Jackson, and Bane are expensive but worth it. All three should be rounding into their primes now, and considering how much regular-season winning they did in their youth, they're likely to keep winning at their peaks."
At this point, Grizzlies fans are hopeful that health is the only thing that can stop their team from reaching the top. Looking at their roster, there is a decent difference in personnel compared to West powerhouses.
While Jackson will miss the season due to a broken foot and Williams Jr. won't be ready to begin the 82-game slate, players like Pippen Jr., the rookie Wells, Brandon Clarke, and Jake LaRavia have rising star potential, and a bunch that can rapidly improve under the stewardship of Morant and Co.
Plus, if everyone rounds into form under head coach Taylor Jenkins' "pace" focused offense, the Grizzlies have the pieces to re-enter many conversations.
Related: Los Angeles Lakers predicted to scoop up Marcus Smart in blockbuster tradeThis story was originally published October 16, 2024, 9:30 PM.
