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There was a time this past season when the Memphis Grizzlies looked like a legitimate title threat in the Western Conference. They had their swagger back. Ja Morant returned with a vengeance, Jaren Jackson Jr was anchoring the paint, and young pieces like GG Jackson II and Jaylen Wells were flashing their upside. However, that momentum vanished almost overnight. The Grizzlies stumbled through the final stretch of the regular season and lost their grip on a top-four seed. They were eventually bounced unceremoniously by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
With a new coaching search underway and internal roster questions looming, Memphis is now staring at a pivotal offseason. This is not a time to start over. This is a time to retool.
Season Recap: From Contender to Collapse
Memphis wrapped up the 2024-25 regular season with a 48-34 record. That was not reflective of how the team started. As late as February, the Grizzlies held the No. 2 seed in the West. Then everything fell apart. March exposed their flaws, and a late-season slump cost Taylor Jenkins his job. Interim coach Tuomas Iisalo took over. However, the team sputtered to a 4-7 finish including the Play-In Tournament and playoffs.
Their postseason lasted just four games, as the Thunder swept them out in the opening round. This marks Memphis' second straight early playoff exit. That said, the organization remains bullish on its core. Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jackson Jr are still under contract. On the flip side, Morant’s health, Jackson’s potential extension, and the uncertain futures of supporting players like Santi Aldama mean the team can’t afford to stand pat.
The defense—once a calling card—slipped from 7th before the All-Star break to 19th afterward. Memphis still flashes promise, of course. However, this roster needs smarter depth pieces and more toughness if it wants to avoid another premature summer.
Here we will discuss the two players whom the Memphis Grizzlies must target to sign as they enter the 2025 NBA offseason.
Trade Target 1: Grant Williams
If Memphis doesn’t retain Aldama, the team needs to find another versatile forward who can toggle between multiple frontcourt spots. Enter Grant Williams.
Williams' journey from Boston to Dallas to Charlotte has been underwhelming on paper. He hasn’t quite lived up to his four-year, $53 million contract signed in 2023. He was traded to the Hornets in a salary-dump deal and has spent much of the 2024-25 season recovering from a torn ACL. That makes him both a potential bargain and a worthy reclamation project.
At his best, Williams is a gritty defender and a capable floor-spacer (37.7 percent career three-point shooter). He is also a high-IQ player who can hold his own against bigger bodies while not being a liability on the perimeter. Williams brings playoff experience and a level of physical and emotional toughness the Grizzlies sorely missed late in the year.
Note that Charlotte is still rebuilding and likely focused on youth. As such, Williams could be available for minimal assets. Memphis has a war chest of second-rounders and developmental players it could flip without touching the core. In a best-case scenario, Williams becomes the connector piece Memphis needs in its frontcourt rotation. Worst case? He’s low-risk depth with upside.
Trade Target 2: Cameron Johnson
Despite Wells’ emergence as a second-round steal, the Grizzlies are still painfully thin on two-way wings. Too many of their perimeter options are either one-dimensional defenders or inconsistent shooters. To seriously contend, they need switchable wings who can knock down threes and guard multiple positions. Cameron Johnson fits that mold perfectly.
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The Grizzlies reportedly kicked the tires on Johnson before the trade deadline. Now, there’s no reason they shouldn’t revisit the idea. Johnson had a quietly his most productive season in Brooklyn. He averaged 18.8 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field, 39 percent from three, and an elite 89.3 percent from the free throw line. He’s not just a catch-and-shoot guy either. Johnson can also attack closeouts, create a bit off the dribble, and cover both forward spots on defense.
The sticking point? Price. Johnson is 29 years old, on a hefty contract, and still under team control in Brooklyn. However, the Nets just lost 56 games and have no clear direction. For a team leaning toward a youth movement, a 29-year-old veteran on a sizable deal could be expendable.
For the Grizzlies, Johnson would give them something they’ve lacked since Kyle Anderson’s departure. He'll be a reliable, playoff-ready wing with size, smarts, and a jumper. Acquiring him might cost a protected first-round pick or a young player like Jake LaRavia. The Grizzlies, though, have the assets to swing a deal without gutting their future.
Why These Moves Make Sense
Both of these trades fit the same theme: maximizing the Ja Morant-Jaren Jackson-Desmond Bane window without mortgaging the future. Grant Williams and Cameron Johnson are not star-chasers—they’re puzzle pieces. They bring toughness, playoff experience, defensive versatility, and floor spacing. They help plug the specific holes that cost Memphis down the stretch. These include inconsistent wing play, unreliable shooting, and a lack of physicality.
With a healthy Morant and a competent coaching staff in place, Memphis doesn’t need to swing for the fences. They need stability, shooting, and guys who won’t shrink in the moment. Johnson and Williams check those boxes—and come at realistic prices.
Final Thoughts
Remember thatthe Memphis Grizzlies aren't broken, but they're not whole either. The front office’s task this offseason is to fill the cracks—not with flash, but with substance. Cameron Johnson and Grant Williams bring just that. They may not dominate headlines, but they’re the kind of reinforcements that make deep playoff runs possible.
In Memphis, the time for excuses is over. It’s time to reload.
