The Memphis Grizzlies may currently be one of the most promising young organizations in the entire NBA, but their immediate future seems to have just gotten rather gloomy. As Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on June 16, superstar guard Ja Morant has been suspended by the league as a result of his most recent gun-flashing incident on social media.

The reported length for said suspension will be 25 games to start the 2023-24 campaign, as ESPN's NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

Though such news is certainly a tough pill to swallow for the franchise, as Morant has been the club's main focal point since entering the league back in 2019, the fact of the matter is they still have an offseason of work ahead of them and their drive to remain competitive within the menacing Western Conference is still likely there.

Weathering this storm may prove to be challenging but with the right moves made during the summer, they could put themselves in a position to remain successful sans their cornerstone.

Of course, figuring out what the exact proper steps are could wind up being a challenge, but, at least when it comes to their free agency endeavors, there are two players, in specific, that can help keep them afloat until Morant's return while possessing the ability to remain highly useful beyond.

Grizzlies free agency target No. 2) Dennis Schroder

Outside of the top-flight names such as James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Fred VanVleet, the guard talent pool in this year's free agency period is a bit lacking.

Considering Ja Morant is slated to come back after 25 games, there's no need to shell out major coin for one of these aforementioned franchise talents, which means the front office should be looking for the players at the position who provide ample upside at a reasonable price.

There's an argument to be made that Dennis Schroder is the perfect example of such a player in this year's class.

Since 2016-17, the 29-year-old has posted solid per-game averages of 16.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. Despite these impressive numbers, however, Schroder still finds himself attempting to build his status around the league back after his rather underwhelming 2020-21 campaign with the Lakers, one in which he reportedly turned down a lucrative extension to bet on himself.

Though this ultimately proved to be a failure, perhaps it could be a cost-efficient blessing for guard-needy teams.

Memphis should capitalize on this potential reality.

Dennis Schroder is still a competent backcourt talent who helped Los Angeles in his return tour immensely during their Western Conference Finals run, as he went on to post steady per-game averages of 9.0 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds on 36.7% shooting from deep from the second round on.

In Morant's absence, steady production is all the Grizzlies really need from their point guard position to hold down the fort. A rotation consisting of Tyus Jones and Schroder could provide exactly that.

Grizzlies free agency target No. 1) Khris Middleton

Though the idea of adding Dennis Schroder is heavily influenced by the impact he could wind up having before Ja Morant's expected return to the hardwood, Khris Middleton's influence on the Grizzlies could be felt before and after.

Though the allure of Memphis being a highly talented young bunch is certainly an entertaining talking point, said youth has often showcased itself in the form of immaturity. It is why we see Dillon Brooks being no longer desired by the franchise and it's why Morant's been suspended on and off for the past year.

This team could use some veteran and championship experience within their arsenal, and Khris Middleton could provide both in one fell swoop.

A proven leader who Bucks big Bobby Portis credits for changing his approach to the game, the 31-year-old just might be the quiet leader Morant and the rest of Memphis' young talents need to keep their focus locked in.

On top of this, the club is in desperate need of a proven two-level scorer out on the wing, and the three-time All-Star is exactly that. Throughout his 11 seasons in the association, Middleton has posted stellar per-game averages of 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals on 45.7% shooting from the floor and 38.8% shooting from deep all while boasting a solid defensive rating of 109.

Attached to a player option worth 40.4 million for next season, reports indicate that the veteran is “leaning toward” opting out, thus making him an unrestricted free agent this summer. Should this come to fruition, the Memphis Grizzlies should go all out in pursuit of the likes of Khris Middleton.