It is a little wonder Memphis avoided the bottom two spots in our ranks.
Despite having lottery ability, this team could become uncomfortably near the luxury tax next year –the past on Chandler Parsons’ onerous deal. What is worse, this group has an outgoing first-rounder hanging over its head. While the selection owed to the Boston Celtics has top-eight security this season and top-six policy the next, it is going to be unprotected in 2021 in case it has not already conveyed.
Who is to say the Grizzlies will not be terrible in 2020-21?
But Memphis has at least uncovered a franchise anchor in 19-year-old Jaren Jackson Jr., who’s almost solely responsible for this particular ranking. The toughest task in rebuilding is adding stars, however, the Grizzlies currently seem to have found one. Jackson’s per-36-minute averages comprise 19.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 cubes, 1.2 triples and 1.2 steals; that’s unprecedented creation for an NBA freshman.
It might help if Jackson had more high-ceiling talent , but possibly Memphis could create a route to a this offseason. After shipping out Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies could cut the cord on the grit-and-grind age for good with a trade of Mike Conley, whose name bounced around a lot near the trade deadline.
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