The Memphis Grizzlies finished with a 48-34 record a season ago, placing them eighth in the Western Conference where they would eventually beating the Dallas Mavericks during the Play-In Tournament to earn a Playoffs berth. They were swept by the eventual champions Oklahoma City, but star point guard Ja Morant also suffered an injury during the series. With a new head coach and rejuvenated star, the Memphis Grizzlies will be favorites the enter the playoff mix once again this season.
Following the abrupt firing of six-year head coach Taylor Jenkins, Tuomas Iisalo will continue as the interim head coach after having served as Jenkins' assistant coach. Ja Morant's shoulder is completely healed and he'll be looking to make another statement this season after missing almost a third of his season to a suspension. The majority of their starting rotation will remain much of the same, but we've already seen a couple of names moved around throughout this offseason.
As is the case with most teams in the NBA, most roster spots need to be earned and there's always a hungry competitor looking for their time to shine on the court. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo will have an exciting roster to work with in his first season running this team, but it'll be important to set the right lineups in maximizing their production.
Grizzlies' starting rotation
The projected Memphis Grizzlies depth chart is as follows:
PG: Ja Morant – Scotty Pippen Jr. / Ty Jerome
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – John Konchar / Cedric Coward
SF: Jaylen Wells – Vince Williams Jr.
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr. – Santi Aldama
C: Zach Edey* – Santi Aldama / Brandon Clarke
Key Notes: Ja Morant will be entering his sixth NBA season searching for his third All-Star caliber season. He's the obvious motor of this team and Tuomas Iisalo will have to think of creative ways to allow this team to flourish around him. He'll be without Desmond Bane as his backcourt mate this season, so expect Morant to fully take responsibility in elevating this team to the next level.
Jaren Jackson Jr. will also retain his role as a former Defensive Player of the Year and 2x All-Star, posting the second-highest scoring total (22.2 PPG) of his career last season. He's the anchor of their defensive efforts down low, averaging 1.5 blocks per game last season and matching a career-high with 1.2 steals per game. His length on the low blocks coupled with the size of Zach Edey makes this Grizzlies' front court one to be feared.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be starting his first season with the Grizzlies, his 13th season as a two-time champion in the NBA. He's been the missing piece on championship teams in the past, so the hope is that KCP can elevate this team to the next level with his veteran prowess and consistent presence.
Zach Edey's availability
On June 10, the Memphis Grizzlies announced that Zach Edey's left ankle sprain would be reevaluated in four months. With the 2025-26 NBS season beginning on October 21, there's no guarantee Edey will be ready for the opener if there are any setbacks in his rehabilitation. In that case, it's expected that seven-foot forward Santi Aldama will set in his place, filling the center position as he's done in the past. Aldama is coming off the best season of his four-year career, averaging 12.5 PPG and shooting a career-high 36.8% from three-point range.
Furthermore, Brandon Clarke has shown consistency as a rebounder and has greatly improved his free throw shooting, making him much less of a liability in late-game situations. His defense has always been on display, so the Grizzlies will have plenty of options to work with if Edey falls victim to recurring injuries throughout the season.
Small Forward and replacing Desmond Bane
As it stands, Jaylen Wells is set to be the starter at the small forward position following a promising 2024-25 campaign averaging 10.4 PPG on 42.5% shooting. They're hoping that he can take the next step in his development, serving as that second option in the backcourt alongside Ja Morant. While Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will hold things down on the defensive perimeter, Wells is the much better shot creator and will add mid-range depth to this offense.
Vince Williams Jr. remains as a work in progress, but his sturdy defensive efforts will help Wells in his development as the starter. Ultimately, this is an extremely young team once again and their head coach will be learning alongside them for the first time. Expect some early bumps in the road for the Grizzlies, but Ja Morant and Co. will figure things out as they tend to do.
