Will the Memphis Grizzlies Be Championship Contenders?
Despite having never been to an NBA Finals and having only made the Western Conference Finals once in their team’s history, the Memphis Grizzlies are seemingly talked about as a potential championship contender every year. From Ja Morant’s electrifying presence to the sharp shooting of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s ability to score big alongside the great coaching of Taylor Jenkins. It made sense why the Grizzlies were so praised over the last several years. Having a great mix of young, talented players alongside a good coach has the potential to build into something special, as we saw this past season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, Desmond Bane is gone now, Taylor Jenkins is gone, and the Grizzlies’ stars aren’t so young anymore. So, given the new arrangements the Grizzlies find themselves in, are they still championship contenders?
The two major factors that will answer this question are the Grizzlies’ health and whether or not their young players can develop. As is pretty well known at this point, Ja Morant has been riddled with injuries throughout his career, and when he’s not injured, he seems to be in trouble with the league. Each of the last three times the Grizzlies made the NBA Playoffs, it was largely due to Ja Morant being healthy for the majority of the season. However, in each of these postseason runs, Ja would go down with an injury, leading to an earlier-than-expected exit from the playoffs. If Ja Morant can play at least 60 games in the regular season, while remaining healthy during the NBA Playoffs, then the Grizzlies have at least a chance of doing some damage against the NBA’s best late in the season. Now, while Ja Morant’s health is a big factor in determining the Grizzlies’ success, it is really the development of their young players that will decide if they can win the championship.
We already know that, when healthy, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are all-star caliber players, and we already know the Grizzlies have some veteran pieces that will be crucial in guiding the team and keeping them grounded, such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. It is the development of the young players, though, that can take the Grizzlies to the next level. Zach Edey, the Grizzlies’ second-year center, averaged nine points, eight rebounds, and just over one block a game during his rookie season. While these numbers aren’t bad, they’re not great. For someone of his size, he should be grabbing at least double-digit rebounds and multiple blocks a night. The key to this, though, is being aggressive. Zach Edey has the size and skill to capture double-digit rebounds, multiple blocks, and double his points per game if he utilizes his given abilities. If he does this, then he could turn into a monster on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball and develop as a potential third option behind Ja and Jaren.
How about Scottie Pippen’s son? Scotty Pippen Jr., now entering his fourth year in the league, the son of a six-time NBA champion, is also hoping for some major improvements. While he averaged ten points last year and 13 the year before, the young guard is promising to have a big year in 2025. Simply upping his points per game to 15 or 16 points, while maybe dishing out a couple more assists while he’s at it, could position him as a key player coming off the bench for the Grizzlies to lead their second unit. Could he possibly win Sixth Man of the Year? I wouldn’t put it past him.
All in all, the Grizzlies have all the tools to compete for a title despite losing some big pieces in the last few months. Health to their stars alongside development from their key young players could signal a major change to how the team will be viewed across the league. Will these “what-ifs” become a reality, though? Only time will tell.
