The third-youngest team in the league won two play-in games, including a scintillating overtime performance to outlast Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors. Against the Utah Jazz, the best team in the West, the Grizzlies surprisingly took the series opener. Although their playoff journey didn’t last for more than five games, they relished their underdog role.
The next step for the Grizzlies is bridging their youthful potential to loftier goals.
Ja Morant’s rise
Ja Morant took a massive leap in front of our eyes in the last seven games he played. There was his “welcome to the big stage" moment when he delivered the overtime dagger to the Warriors using a gorgeous floater.
In the playoffs, his best individual performance was a 47-point explosion in Game 2. The Grizzlies ended up losing, but Morant elevated himself from being just a talented kid on the horizon to becoming a real and persistent problem to opposing teams. He came at the Jazz defense in waves, crashing and bulldozing his way to 15 made field goals and 20 free throw attempts.
If there was a sour part to Morant’s game, it would be finding the confidence and consistency in his perimeter shooting. His lack of a 3-point arsenal was exposed in the playoffs and until he expands his range, it will be a weakness that defenses will continue to exploit. He did show glimpses of his outside shot, knocking down a 3 every now and then, but the Jazz dared him to beat them from beyond the arc.
Morant was a Tasmanian devil with his drives and couldn’t be slowed down by Mike Conley or Royce O’Neale. However, when he was forced to shoot, he couldn’t capitalize. He was 0-for-1 from deep in Game 1 and was a combined 5-for-21 in the next three games. In Game 5, he went 5-for-9 from deep in the blowout loss. He doesn’t need to become a Damian Lillard by any stretch of the imagination, but having a reliable 3-pointer, or even a more refined midrange, will transform his offensive repertoire.
For a 21-year-old, Morant couldn’t have had a better sophomore season. He’s oozing with confidence from his playoff debut and you can bet he’ll come back next year with a vengeance.
Building on the young core
As mentioned, the Grizzlies was the third youngest team this season, behind the Minnesota Timberwolves and OKC Thunder, with an average age of about 24 years old.
The Grizzlies assembled their roster with precision and diligence. Morant, along with Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Xavier Tillman were all either handpicked by the team itself or were acquired via draft trades. Memphis’ front office should be praised for its under-the-radar trades of Jonas Valanciunas, De’Anthony Melton, and Grayson Allen as well as its free agent signings of Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones.
The Grizzlies aren’t a star-studded team but they’re an extremely well-built machine with key components across the board. It’s no coincidence that all of the aforementioned names got some burn in the playoffs.
The question in Memphis is not whether or not it has the talent, because it clearly does, but does it have enough to become a legitimate Western contender? Will the Grizzlies shake things up and trade away some of their young players? Who goes and who stays?
The Grizzlies have 13 players under contract next year. Will they wait for the team to develop further with Morant at the forefront or will they roll the dice and find talent elsewhere?
The comeback of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow
It could be argued that we haven’t even seen the Grizzlies at full strength yet.
Injuries have marred the young career of the 21-year-old Jackson Jr. For all his attributes on both ends, he’s had his trouble staying on the court because of his ailments. His rookie year ended with a right quad injury while a right knee injury did the same in his sophomore season.
After rehab and recovery, he was inserted into the lineup this season and logged in 11 games plus five more in the playoffs. The Grizzlies tried to assimilate him back into competitive play but it was clear that he was still getting into his old self. He amassed 14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in the little time he was on the court but was a far cry from his second year days of putting up 17.4 points and shooting 39.4 percent from deep.
It’s not hard to imagine Memphis’ frontcourt that will feature both Valanciunas, a double-double generator, and a healthier version of Jackson Jr, who can space the floor and provide defensive versatility. Management will have to choose between offering an extension or allowing him to become a restricted free agent in 2022. It was fortunate that he was able to show flashes of his potential, even in a limited capacity this season.
Another important player that Memphis needs to discuss is Justise Winslow. Acquired in February 2020 from Miami, Winslow’s game has yet to materialize with the Grizzlies. He played just 26 contests this season and posted sparse numbers of 6.8 points on a 35.3 shooting clip, 4.5 boards, and 1.9 dimes. He was barely used in the latter part of the year as the Grizzlies’ rotation tightened. The 6-foot-6 swingman had a ton of upside after his five-year stay with the Heat but injuries have derailed his growth.
Whatever the Grizzlies do with Winslow’s contract, including a $13 million team option on its final year, will have a ripple effect on their offseason. If the team picks up on that possibility, they’ll be over the cap. On the other hand, if they choose to go the other way and let Winslow leave, that will open up a ton of cap space. It’ll be up to them to make the tough decision to either wait for Winslow to regain his form or simply move on.
A new identity for the future
This iteration of the 2020-2021 Grizzlies represents the next chapter of the franchise. The “Grit and Grind” era of Marc Gasol and Mike Conley is long gone and now is the time for this young team to take their future into their own hands.
With Morant as the centerpiece, the Grizzlies have embraced the times and have structured a team that relies on scrappy defense and fast-paced offense. The front office has proven that they can find talent in the draft, free agent pool, as well as through trades. Potential roster moves are on the horizon but there’s no concern to make drastic changes. This is still the honeymoon stage of the new era in Memphis basketball. After showing and maximizing their potential this season, the next step is having a strong foothold in the competitive Western Conference.
