The Memphis Grizzlies had a successful 2020-21 NBA season, going 38-34 and making the postseason. Although they lost to the Utah Jazz in the first round, it was still a great year for the young squad. Star guard Ja Morant absolutely balled out and he had good support in guard-forward Dillon Brooks and center Jonas Valanciunas. However, Valanciunas is now gone, as he was traded in the offseason, but the young core is still here and they are ready for a breakthrough year.
It is somewhat surprising that the Grizzlies joined reached the postseason so soon after losing the core that lead them to Playoff success in the past. That is just a testament to the great work done by the coaching staff led by coach Taylor Jenkins and the front office led by Zachary Kleiman. It is not only Ja Morant, though. The entire squad has been absolutely mesmerizing and it seems like everyone is all-in to get the Grizzlies where they need to be.
Grizzlies X-Factor
All the focus, naturally, will be on the backcourt Morant-Brooks. However, focusing exclusively on these two players would mean missing out on all the quality Memphis has in other positions on the roster. It is expected that both the guards will keep their level of play fairly high, but the success of the franchise will also rely on other factors. It is clear that for the Grizzlies to reach their full potential, other players will need to take a step forward. The best two candidates for a surprising role in the season are new center Steven Adams and returning forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
Steven Adams is one of the best players in the league when it comes to adapting to a new team. His veteran presence and general demeanor around the locker room are qualities this team should value a lot. The front office clearly loves this, so they traded Valanciunas who was incredibly valuable for the team last season to get him.
Adams will do wonders on the court, as a solid rebounder, defender, and finisher around the rim. He will provide a steady hand around the basket and will be a good defensive anchor. He has averaged 11.7 points over the last five seasons. Adams averaged just 7.6 points while with the Pelicans but shot an efficient 61.4% from the field. If he can replicate that with more shots, that would be very good for the Grizzlies.
As mentioned above, Adams is mostly a great glue guy, something young rosters really need. The issue with the Grizzlies previously, however minor, was that the veteran presence was not of that quality. Valanciunas was a great contributor and Kyle Anderson is great on the court, but they don't have quite the intangible quality that Adams bring to a locker room. That is an underrated skill and the improvement on and off the court will be noticeable.
On the other hand, Jaren Jackson is mostly expected to help on the court. The young forward and former fourth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft has been absolutely amazing for the Grizzlies since touching the court in his rookie season. Unfortunately, in the NBA Bubble, Jackson tore his meniscus and was sidelined for most of the 2020-21 season, where he only played 11 games and dropped to 14.4 points per game, from his career-high 17.4 in the season before that.
Jackson was somewhat rushed to come back when he did return at the end of last season. He looked rusty and his game took a huge hit. However, he's gone through a full summer to prepare and strengthen for the upcoming season. Jackson is someone the Grizzlies will definitely need in covering the void left by Valanciunas, apart from Adams.
Jackson, hopefully fully fit and ready, will do just that for Memphis, as he is a very versatile and gifted scorer. He has three-point range paired up with an efficient game around the basket. With his 6-foot-11, 242-pound frame, Jackson has the potential to finally break out as a dangerous offensive player.
Jackson can contribute in a big way defensively, as well. While his play until now does not show a great defender, having the aforementioned frame combined with long arms means that, if serious work is put into the intangibles, Jackson can be a solid defender. He already has the mobility to follow most guards around the perimeter and remain with them on drives, but he simply needs to work on his awareness and positioning. The potential is there, but the question remains how Jackson will play due to the injury and how much work he is willing to put in.
The Grizzlies are truly one of the most interesting teams in the NBA. Their combination of young studs, proven veterans, and glue guys will mean that they could surprise just about anyone in the league. It is going to require more effort from everyone, especially in terms of consistency, since both Morant and Brooks will need to score even more to adjust for losing Valanciunas. Jackson will need to go back to his old scoring way, while Adams will try and do all the dirty things on the court while helping the chemistry on the court.
One thing is for sure – the Memphis Grizzlies will do everything in their power to show the world that their success from last year is not an exception, but a rule for the future.
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