Memphis Grizzlies 2024-25 Season Preview: Zach Edey Joins Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr.
In 2024-25, the Memphis Grizzlies will be asked to prove themselves all over again. A flurry of injuries derailed Memphis last season and ended a three-year postseason run for superstar point guard Ja Morant and Co. It also added a layer of mystery around the Grizzlies as they aim to reclaim their spot among the Western Conference contenders.
Is Memphis still a formidable threat, or have the other surging young teams passed them during their period of turmoil? The answer to that question may hang on the shoulders of a rookie.
The Grizzlies bet big on a young big man during the offseason, spending the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft on 7-foot-4 center and two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey of Purdue. Edey immediately becomes the tallest player in franchise history and a soon-to-be opening-night starter. He was exactly the style of center the franchise was searching for - a gigantic player cut from the archetype of Steven Adams, whom Memphis dealt to Houston at the trade deadline last season. Adams maximized the production of the stars around him by setting screens to create space for Morant offensively and gobbling up space defensively to allow shot-blocker Jaren Jackson Jr. to roam the paint. It will now be Edey's turn to mimic that role while also adding an element of around-the-rim offensive skill that Adams lacked.
It is a pressure-packed situation, especially when you consider that Edey was the only major change the Grizzlies made to their roster during the offseason. Yet, it doesn't feel that way. Factor in the news that forward Brandon Clarke is ready for his first full season since tearing his Achilles in March 2023, and the frontcourt feels rejuvenated.
It does mean, however, that head coach Taylor Jenkins has some sorting to do.
Both Clarke and Edey are non-shooters, meaning Jenkins isn't likely to play them together to preserve floor spacing. This version of the Grizzlies has struggled to score in half-court settings for several seasons in a row and likely will look to use combinations that include four 3-point shooters on the court at once.
Jackson's defensive presence and perimeter shooting mean he will be asked to log heavy minutes, not only because he is effective, but also because he can play with either combination in the paint. Memphis will attempt to use other shooting bigs when Jackson exits but will surrender significant defensive impact.
It will be up to Jenkins to figure out which combinations can hold up without the former Defensive Player of the Year on the court - and which ones cannot.
The Grizzlies hope to have found something in forward GG Jackson II, who burst onto the scene last season as a 19-year-old. He shot 35.7 percent from the beyond the arc and provided a scoring spark in an otherwise lost campaign. Jackson, who is 6-foot-9 and extremely athletic, allows the Grizzlies to utilize frontcourt lineups that are quicker and more athletic without sacrificing positional size. He also gives them another player who can create for himself in halfcourt situations.
In addition to Clarke, Memphis also returns a bundle of talent in the backcourt that missed most of last season due to injury.
Despite trading for Marcus Smart more than a year ago, the Grizzlies never got to see the prized defender play alongside Morant or Desmond Bane for an extended period. Now they finally will.
Smart likely will compete with third-year wing Vince Williams Jr. for a starting spot in training camp. Williams appeared in 52 games last season, averaging 10 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He is a do-it-all style of player similar to pieces the Grizzlies have had in the past, like current Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton and Golden State Warriors wing Kyle Anderson. Williams carved his way into Jenkins' rotation with tenacious defense against some of the league's best scorers, and he also shot 37.8 percent from the 3-point line. Memphis ranked 29th last season in 3-point shooting, converting at a dreadful 34.6 percent rate. They were 23rd a season before that, and 17th two seasons ago.
Strategically, Jenkins may be tempted to slide 10-year veteran Smart - typically a point guard and a long-time starter - to the bench because it could allow him to use Smart as a ball-handler when Morant exits in the first quarter.
Bane may also assume some point guard duties, as he has done in previous seasons. He was on track to have his most productive season as a pro before suffering a severe ankle sprain in mid-January and missing more than six weeks of action.
The discovery of more young talent should help Memphis revitalize its scoring attack, but its overall success lies mostly in the hands of Morant.
Does the NBA remember just how great he can be at his zenith? This is a player who was the Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 and All-NBA in 2021-22. Morant has twice averaged more than 30 points across a playoff series, has 11 career triple-doubles and boasts 11 career 40-point games (including playoffs).
Yet Morant may be flying under the radar after playing just nine games last season due to a 25-game suspension and season-ending shoulder surgery. He will enter this season determined to reclaim his spot among the league's elite and become the first Grizzlies player to win an MVP award.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Injuries derailed Memphis last season, but it won 50-plus games each of the previous two seasons with Morant in the fold. If the superstar point guard can stay healthy - and his explosive nature certainly puts that in question - the Grizzlies have assembled the talent around him to compete again.
Memphis' front office also has positioned the roster for in-season trade possibilities that could be used to further bolster the roster. They project as a team that again could reach 50 wins and make the playoffs, even in a crowded Western Conference.
Anonymous takes from league insiders:
"It's hard to believe they finished with the second-best record in the West just two seasons ago. A lot has happened since. ... There are tons of question marks, but it all centers around Ja Morant. If he's healthy and the same, they have some nice pieces. ... Jaren Jackson Jr. was already pretty good and got a chance to really shine in Morant's absence. That should only benefit Memphis this year. ... It will be interesting to see if Zach Edey can make an impact right away. He could either be a complete steal or a bust. ... To me, they are the league's biggest mystery entering the season."
OFFSEASON MOVES
Draft picks:
Spencer and Wells bring needed shooting to the Grizzlies but may not have a pathway to crack the rotation when the season begins. Edey figures to be an immediate starter for the Grizzlies after a decorated college career at Purdue. He and Spencer signed with the same agency and worked out together prior to the draft. Spencer's UConn team defeated Purdue in the national championship game.
BEYOND THE ARC
Gotta be the shoes: After releasing his first signature sneaker in April 2023, Ja Morant and Nike are working toward the release of his second signature sneaker, the Ja 2. A model of the new shoe was presented to the point guard during his Hall of Fame induction at Murray State in July.
TwelveTime: Morant is also coaching his Nike-branded AAU program TwelveTime, which features seventh- and eighth-graders. One of the teams happens to feature the son of fellow Grizzlies point guard Derrick Rose. Morant has spoken candidly about how the AAU programs have helped him recapture his joy after the turmoil that followed him the past two seasons.
Man of the world: Jaren Jackson Jr. released a new rap album titled "777" and continued his fashion endeavors with a trip to Europe. He also traveled to Japan with league representatives in an effort to continue to grow the game in Asia.
Collector's items: Jake LaRavia has become one of the most prominent NBA players in the trading card space. Following summer league, he went to the National Sports Card Convention in Cleveland. One lucky collector turned in one of LaRavia's signed cards for a $5,000 bounty at a local card shop in Memphis last season. The Memphis forward is known to have sold some of his collection for close to $30,000.
Related: Athlon Sports 2024-25 NBA Season Preview Magazine Now AvailableThis story was originally published September 28, 2024, 7:35 PM.
