The Memphis Grizzlies were playing with house money last season. Little was expected of them externally, so when they seemed to be on the verge of making the playoffs, they were one of the league's best stories. Rookie of the Year Ja Morant put on an electrifying show just about every night he stepped on the court, and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s role evolved from stretchy big to super-sized wing.
They couldn't quite seal the deal on a playoff berth, despite Morant scoring a career-high 35 points in a play-in game with Jackson and backup point guard Tyus Jones injured and watching from the sideline. Still, it was an unequivocal success, a sign that the franchise is going in the right direction.
This season, the bar is higher. Morant will be expected to improve across the board, but in particular as a shooter. If Memphis starts 1-5, like it did last season, or goes on a six-game losing streak, as it did about a month into Morant's career, it will be seen as something of a crisis. Young teams do not always handle this well.
The good news is that the Grizzlies are not relying only on internal improvement. Justise Winslow, acquired at the trade deadline in February, gives them another playmaker and versatile defender -- he started at center in the playoffs as a rookie and started at point guard three years later. Desmond Bane, drafted No. 30, gives them some much-needed shooting, perimeter defense and a bit more playmaking.
The bad news is that Winslow and Jackson are still hurt. Winslow was set to make his Memphis debut in the bubble before suffering a hip injury in an intra-squad scrimmage. Jackson tore his meniscus during the seeding games and required surgery. Both will be sidelined at the beginning of the season.
Memphis has enough depth to get by, but the step they're trying to take is difficult, particularly in a conference as stacked as this year's West. Most analysts project the Grizzlies to be on the outside of the playoff picture again, even though most would agree that they have a chance to be special in the next few years. If the way they played last year is any indication, however, they don't care about other people's timelines.
Taking the temperature
Grizzlies believer: I could not be more ready for Year 2 of the Morant era. He is absolutely unreal, and the best part is that he has a solid team around him. Jackson was playing the best basketball of his life before his knee injury in the bubble; when he and Winslow are healthy, the Grizzlies are going to be better than they were last year, especially when you factor in the development of the young guys.
Grizzlies skeptic: I'm bullish on the Grizzlies long-term, but I seriously doubt they'll be better than they were last year. Jackson and Winslow being out doesn't bode well at all, and even in the bubble, it was obvious that they missed Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill. Even if Morant has an All-Star caliber season and Jackson picks up where he left off, they'll probably take a step back and be in the lottery.
My main concern with the roster: Not enough shooting.
Grizzlies believer: Spacing might be an issue, but Jackson will fix that when he's healthy. Also worth noting: Taylor Jenkins' ethos is let it fly. Kyle Anderson shot with confidence in the preseason, just like he did in the bubble, and I bet Brandon Clarke will shoot at a higher volume this season, too. Don't be surprised if Winslow comes out shooting like he did in 2018-19.
The thing people are missing with this team is its depth. Morant and Jackson got most of the attention last year, but the reason they almost made the playoffs is that they had so many contributors. Clarke should have won Sixth Man of the Year, Dillon Brooks had a career season, De'Anthony Melton broke out, Tyus Jones kept the second unit steady and some teams had no hope of matching up with Jonas Valanciunas. I loved how Grayson Allen played in the bubble, and I guarantee that Bane and John Konchar will have amazing advanced stats this year.
I'm high on Xavier Tillman and Jontay Porter, too. This is my favorite bench in the league.
Grizzlies skeptic: You shouldn't be guaranteeing anything about a rookie and a guy who played 181 minutes last season. And just like there's a difference between a guy who can make a 3 occasionally and a shooter, there's a difference between having a bunch of fun players and having real depth. Get back to me when Tillman is ahead of Gorgui Dieng in the rotation and Porter's knee is healthy enough to play.
Grizzlies believer: Oh, come on. The Grizzlies have a bunch of fun guys and they have real depth. Experts are way too quick to dismiss this team simply because the West is all jumbled up and they superficially fit the profile of a rebuilding team that "overachieved" and is likely to fall off when they can't take the league by surprise.
This is a mistake. The Grizzlies are young, but they don't play like it. They're unselfish on offense and disciplined on defense. They're fast, but organized. Morant is ridiculously advanced as a playmaker, and the front office has drafted or acquired a bunch of other guys who are extremely savvy for their age.
Grizzlies skeptic: I get it, you love everyone on the roster. But the Grizzlies aren't in the East. Last year, they were competing with a Blazers team that couldn't guard anybody, a Pelicans team that imploded in the bubble and a Suns team that finished five games under .500 despite ending the season on an eight-game winning streak. The road is going to be tougher this time.
The potential here is undeniable, but it's still potential. Morant needs a jumper. Jackson needs to start rebounding and stop fouling whenever he's healthy. Winslow, their biggest addition, is never healthy, wants to be a point forward and has a questionable jumper. It's nice that they have a fairly long list of rotation-caliber players, but their best-five lineup isn't that great. Who even is their best-five lineup?
Grizzlies believer: First you undersell their depth, and now you undersell their top-end talent. Impressive!
I admit that I'm not completely sure what the Grizzlies' best end-of-game lineup will be. I suspect, in fact, that this will depend on the matchup. If they're playing the Lakers and Anthony Davis is at the 5, then Jackson is probably at the 5. If they're playing the Lakers and Marc Gasol is at the 5, then Valanciunas is probably out there with Jackson. Beyond that, Jenkins has a bunch of versatile wings and forwards to choose from. This is a luxury!
(Shorter answer: Morant-Bane-Brooks-Clarke-Jackson. Killer lineup.)
Eye on: Desmond Bane
Bane has a chance to be this year's Clarke. Their games aren't similar, but they're both two-way players who shouldn't have been available when the Grizzlies selected them. A sturdy, 6-foot-6 wing, Bane is quick enough and more than strong enough to hold his own defensively, but he separates himself from other guys who look the part with his anticipation and team defense.
On the other end, Bane would have been a deserving first-round pick if his deadeye shooting were all that he offered. He showed pick-and-roll chops at TCU, though, and in the NBA he'll at least be able to make some plays when defenders run him off the line. The Grizzlies started Brooks and Allen on the wing in all four of their preseason games, but I wouldn't be shocked if Bane supplanted Allen.
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December 21, 2020 at 01:29AM
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Back again: The 2020-21 Memphis Grizzlies season preview, starring Ja Morant and the difficult next step - CBS Sports
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