Memphis Grizzlies: Is This The Beginning Of The Rebuild in 2019?

Mark Wilson October 10, 2019
Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies will enter the 2019-20 NBA season with a chip on their shoulder. A team once destined for a championship now is in rebuild mode. Gone are Chandler Parsons, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley. What the Grizzlies are shooting for this coming season is consistency. Will they be able to hang with teams like the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers?

On the flip side of the coin stands the teams who were neck and neck with them last season on the outside looking in. The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and New Orleans Pelicans have all strengthened their roster while the Grizzlies have taken another approach.

During the NCAA Tournament, top pick, Ja Morant put on a show. The Memphis Grizzlies will need that same energy for 82 games. What the front office is hoping for is that they didn’t draft the next Markelle Fultz. This is the risk you take with any player but the Grizzlies need Morant to be special. After trading Mike Conley, the team has accepted that the future is here but at the same time grasping for veteran leadership from older players.

This is why Morant needs to excel. He has the handles to create his own shot and the form to make defenders pay from the perimeter. But will he dominate like in college? His struggles will come but Morant will get enough shot attempts to average 15 points in his rookie season. His offensive game is just too good to be bottled up. He has enough veterans around him in the frontcourt to get eight assists. If the Grizzlies can find a threat from the perimeter those numbers could be higher.

In order to win in this league, a team must be able to knock down shots from three-point territory. For the Grizzlies, this may be a problem. Their roster is full of players who may be able to consistently hit from 15-17 ft, however, a shooter’s range should extend beyond that. Will Ja Morant be that player? If so, will he be the only one? This is one of the main reasons why they will need to make a move for a reliable SG this season.

In 2018, the Grizzlies finished the year ranked 25th in three-point percentage. Morant is a rookie and will have his ups and downs from deep. Dillon Brooks (.375 percent) is no Craig Hodges and Josh Jackson (.324) and Jae Crowder (.331) have not been invited to participate in the All-Star Weekend contest. If they cannot hit with consistently, this will put extra pressure on Morant and Valanciunas.

The Grizzlies are hoping third-year player Dillon Brooks is their SG for the future. In 2017, his rookie season, Brooks did show promise. He managed to average 11.0 points while shooting .440 percent from the floor. In 2018, he had a shortened season and his production slipped to just 7.5 points per game while hitting .402 percent. If the third time is the charm, then the Grizzlies have a young backcourt to call their own.

If Brooks does indeed struggle, the Grizzlies will be forced to look outside their organization for help. His backups are Grayson Allen and De’Anthony Melton. While each can give you 10 minutes per game, there’s no need to offer them 25+ minutes when their production while not match their time on the floor. By the trade deadline, the Grizzlies will know where they stand and what moves will need to be made.

No matter what Morant does, the Grizzlies will not make the Top 8 in the Western Conference. Even if the Golden State Warriors struggle, the Grizzlies will have to move past teams that may have improved just a bit more than they did this offseason. Did they improve more than the Phoenix Suns or the Los Angeles Lakers?

Even the Sacramento Kings have improved. It will be an uphill battle for the Grizzlies but it’s one the front office understands must happen. The playoffs may not be in their sights now but the foundation they’re building will assure it won’t be long before the Grizzlies are back.

It’s safe to say that Valanciunas held the Toronto Raptors back. It’s not that his talent level decreased, he just didn’t fit the direction the Raptors were going in. He’s not a great defender, but if given the touches, he can and will put points on the board. Since coming over after a trade with the Raptors, Valanciunas has given his game a second chance. In 2018, in 19 games with the Memphis Grizzlies, Valanciunas averaged 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds while shooting .545 percent from the floor. While with the Raptors beforehand, he averaged 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting .575 percent.

What’s also to be noted is that his shot attempts rose from 8.6 to 14.7 once he got to the Grizzlies. This coming season should see more of the same plus an increase. With Morant now running the point, Valanciunas will be forced into a transition game. If he can fill the lane properly, easy baskets will come in droves. While his defense is a bit on the suspect side, he’s not too bad on the offensive rebounding side with averages of 2.7 in 2018. A breakout year is in the cards if he can stay healthy.

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