Grizzlies Gear Up for 2022-23 Season
After many seasons of mediocrity, a young Grizzlies team burst into the national scene when claiming the second-best record in the NBA in 2022.
Memphis would ultimately fall to the eventual champions in Steph Curry’s Warriors in a six-game series. However, despite falling short in the playoffs, the new-era Grizzlies team’s success has put the league on notice for the upcoming years.
Leading the surging Memphis team is 2019’s second-overall pick, Ja Morant. Morant won Rookie of the Year in his first season and earned Most Improved Player and an All-NBA Second Team nod in 2022. Last season, he averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while cementing himself as one of the league’s best point guards.
Helping Morant are Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. Jackson led the league in blocks per game at 2.3 last season as he clogged the paint defensively. On top of his elite defense coming from his seven-foot frame, he has an effective three-point shot. He has connected on 35.1 percent of his deep balls in his career and averaged 16.3 points per game in 2022.
Bane also proved to be an effective scoring option last season in just his sophomore year. He scored 18.2 points per game on 43.6 percent shooting. Bane played in 76 games last season, making him even more valuable with Morant and Jackson missing time due to injury.
Around this big three are Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke, and Zaire Williams. All six of those key pieces are 26 years old or younger and drafted by the Grizzlies. The ability to snag impactful players with late picks has been a large reason Memphis has found success. Other draft picks that have seen success are John Konchar, Xavier Tillman, and Santi Aldama.
With additions of impactful veterans in Tyus Jones and Steven Adams, the Grizzlies roster is solid from top-to-bottom. The losses of Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton will hurt, but the depth Memphis boasts will keep the team afloat.
As a team, the Grizzlies finished second in the league in points per game (115.6), first in offensive rebounds (14.1), first in rebounds per game (49.2), sixth in assists per game (26), first in steals per game (9.8) and first in blocks per game (6.5).
At the head of this versatile machine is Taylor Jenkins. He took over the team in 2019 with the task of getting the most out of a young roster. The following year, he led the team to their first playoff appearance since 2017 after beating the Warriors in the play-in. Now, he enters his fourth season at the helm of the Grizzlies with aspirations to make a deep playoff push.
“To get where we want to ultimately go, and that’s winning championships, it starts with our day-in and day-out process,” Jenkins said. “… Us understanding how we can become more of a consistent defense, consistent offense, more efficient offense, as well, that will hopefully propel us to new heights.”
However, despite proving to be a top team last year and seemingly reloading for 2022, many don’t see the Grizzlies as a true contender. Even Warriors star Draymond Green has said that Memphis is due for a “reality check”. This hasn’t waived the Grizzlies’ confidence, though.
“That’s been a topic for us since I’ve been here — not receiving the respect we deserve,” Morant said. “As you can see now, with how we were improving, how we became one of the top teams in this league, we’ve started getting that recognition. … That doesn’t mean our chip should leave — like, ‘All right, we’ve got the respect now. We can go lay back…’ We’ve gotta go earn even more respect. Because there’s still some that don’t believe in us.”
Whether these lofty goals are accomplished or not, one thing is for sure. The Grizzlies will be a fun team to watch. High fliers and sharpshooters combine for a dynamic offense that is must-watch TV.