The Memphis Grizzlies finished as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season, but they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers. A plethora of holes and lapses were exposed by the heavily experienced Lakers squad, and the Grizzlies have retooled their lineup heading into the start of their 2023-24 campaign.
Marcus Smart and Derrick Rose were the two key additions by the Grizzlies in the offseason as Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks have both departed from the organization. Ja. Morant will miss the first 25 games of the season because of some off-court issues that occurred last season. Thus, the internal growth of guys like Ziaire Williams, John Konchar, and Santi Aldama is vital to their success as their supporting cast is relying a ton on individuals on rookie scale contracts.
Morant's absence will be tough for Memphis, but they will need to have at least a .500 record during his suspension. As they strive to surprise the NBA and grab a top four seed in the West, there is still a looming flaw that they must address if they want to win the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Grizzlies half-court offense
It was very evident that Memphis had trouble dealing with squads that are experienced and thrive through half court execution in the postseason. The Golden State Warriors ousted the Grizzlies in 2022, while the Lakers manhandled Memphis last year. The common factor for both franchises is they slowed the game down and forced the Grizzlies to execute their plays with five men ready to anticipate their schemes.
In the regular season, the style of Memphis is phenomenal because they play excellent defense and convert on easy transition baskets on the other end. The run and gun style of guys like Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is a tough nut to crack for any team. However, they must adjust more on how they will battle with the likes of the Warriors and Lakers who will try to outsmart you in a seven-game series.
Morant has shown some leaps of improvements in attacking the pick-and-roll coverage in halfcourt sets, but his teammates have failed to do it on a consistent basis. Guys like Smart and Bane will need to be effective primary and secondary playmakers especially at the early juncture of the year because their other rotational players do not thrive with the ball in their hands for a long period.
It is not just with the initiators on the pick-and-roll that need improvement as Jackson Jr. and Aldama will need to be a legitimate threat on the interior as reliable finishers. They're both dependable outside shooters, but they will need to mix it up with some paint touches because Memphis lacks terrific slashers that will open up space for their shooters.
Speaking of the Grizzlies' shooters, Luke Kennard's role will grow immensely because Memphis lacks the knockdown guys that are necessary for their spacing. The corner three has been a exceptional option that a plethora of organizations have capitalized on, but the Grizzlies have not done it in a constant manner because of their lack of personnel that can convert threes like Kennard.
Through this lengthy discussion, it is clear that the Memphis Grizzlies will need to fortify their execution when the pressure intensifies and when the defenses are turnt up. Their roster has the capabilities to do so, but the jiving of the veterans of the youngsters must be sensational on both ends for their organization to compete for the NBA Championship.
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