It's not often that a team goes from beloved to hated like the Memphis Grizzlies.
Yet, it's difficult to feel bad for the Grizzlies. Not because they exuded so much confidence after their 2022 NBA Playoff run or because they dug into the role of NBA villains. It was because, throughout the season, report after report painted the picture of an immature organization that was not only getting a bit ahead of itself but lacking the self-awareness needed from a championship-level team.
Culminating in Memphis being upset by the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the First Round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. A series that ended with a 40-point loss in Game 6 and the Grizzlies ā namely Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks ā being the butt of endless jokes.
Morant and Brooks, players that should be leaders in the locker room and organization but seem to have had a rather poor influence on both outside of what they provide on the court.
Lucky for the Grizzlies, they have a chance to address that problem in the 2023 NBA offseason.
Biggest need Grizzlies must address in 2023 NBA offseason
The biggest need for the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason is leadership.
Not only in terms of a player that can be a mature voice and presence within the locker room and organization. Because, as the face of the franchise, Ja Morant will have to grow as a person during the offseason in order to become a better leader himself.
Morant is one of a handful of players under the age of 25 that have shown real Hall of Fame potential. Averaging 26.8 points and 7.4 assists per game isn't easy and doing it at his age makes it all the more impressive, even without him putting on a show with breathtaking displays of athleticism and acrobatics.
With that said, it may not be his responsibility to be a role model for the community or be a mature leader within the locker room. Nonetheless, him doing so would be more impactful than the Grizzlies acquiring a veteran presence or coach that could do the same.
That said, people don't change overnight, and oftentimes young people need time to grow into leaders.
So, in the meantime, the Grizzlies really should be looking for their Udonis Haslem.
A player that Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and others can look to and want to emulate.
Several players that will be free agents are highly regarded for their leadership abilities but the best one for Memphis might be 14-year NBA veteran James Johnson.
Johnson is one of the players that everyone in the league knows isn't a āfake tough guy.'
In fact, Johnson was voted by his NBA peers as the player that they would least like to fight in an end-of-season poll. He was the only player to beat out 6-foot-11, 265-pound center Steven Adams.
The heavily tattooed Johnson, a black belt and trained mixed martial artist, is also a player that holds his teammates accountable though. Furthermore, while what might be most appealing about him to some is his mindset as a warrior, he also has a level of maturity highlighted in his 2022-23 exit interview quote:
āAct like a champion, think like a champion, until you become a champion.ā
14-year NBA veteran Taj Gibson is aĀ player that knows that the goal for a player and team should be more than putting on a show and has said as much. Another tough and gritty big man, the New York native is now at the stage of his career where he'll accept a lesser on-court role ā even an unguaranteed role ā and focus on providing locker room leadership.
37-years-old, the Grizzlies could sign Gibson to a veteran's minimum or use their $4.5 million bi-annual exception to ensure they bring him on board.
Former Grizzlies star Rudy Gay is another intriguing option for Memphis due to his history with the franchise and his ability to embrace a mentorship role while with the Utah Jazz. That said, Gay would have to decline his $6.2 million player option.
Should Gay want to sign with the Grizzlies ā who he played for in his first six-plus seasons ā for a swan song, he may see some time on the court.
With that in mind, Gay has been a scoring threat throughout his career, averaging 9.0 points per game on 42.1 percent shooting (in 19.4 minutes per game) over the last four seasons. The issue with Gay when it comes to his play is that he's a little too inconsistent at everything. Nonetheless, at 36-years-old, Gay has a combination of skill, experience and basketball IQ that could still help Memphis.