Memphis, go for a full-blown rebuild. Your team has been stuck in mediocrity for more than a decade and now it’s getting older. It’s time to trade away name players and replace them with free agents and draft picks.
It’s frustrating being a Memphis Grizzlies’ fan. Yes, your team has made the playoffs seven straight seasons, but it has never lived up to the hype. The best Memphis could do was in 2012-’13 when it got to the conference finals–only to be swept by the Spurs.
Memphis is neither elite nor atrocious. It’s stuck in the middle.
Give your team credit, though. They’ve been competitive in other playoff series. But Memphis always seems to lose a star player, like Mike Conley or Marc Gasol, come playoff time. That forces the Grizzlies to rely heavily on the bench.
Let’s face facts: this team is stuck in mediocrity. Gasol and Conley are win-now type players, but the rest of the players aren’t–including post-prime players, like Chandler Parsons and Mario Chalmers, and players who need development time, like Dillon Brooks and Ivan Rabb.
And this season the Grizzlies are off to a terrible start (9-20 as of December 15), including losing 11 of 12 games recently. Management fired head coach David Fizdale last month, which introduced a lot of confusion and combustion in the Grizzlies’ locker room.
More than anything, this team needs a sense of direction. The direction I recommend is blowing things up now. I think that’s the pathway to a bright and competitive future.
The first step is hiring a head coach. Either sign the interim coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, to a long-term extension or sign a new coach in the off-season.
J.B. Bickerstaff looks on during a game against the Spurs on December 1, 2017 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Copyright 2017 NBAE, photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The second step is to get on with the rebuilding process. Memphis has only two impact players–the aforementioned Conley and Gasol–and neither is a young, rising start. The Knicks have that kind of player in Kristaps Porzingis; the Pacers have that player in Myles Turner; and the Suns have that player in Devin Booker. Perhaps Aaron Harrison might be that player, one day, for the Grizzlies.
That’s why I don’t see any option for Memphis other than rebuilding its roster. To do that, the Grizzlies need to do one or more (preferably more) of the following: trade an old Marc Gasol, trade an overpriced Mike Conley, and trade an underachieving Chandler Parsons.
I’m not sure Memphis will get ‘good return’ from any of those trades because all three players are overpriced with expensive contracts. The most realistic return is either a second-round pick or a low-salary bench player. But if Memphis was able to trade Gasol and Conley, the team would gain $50 million dollars in upcoming salary, as well as absorb potential draft picks and young players who can develop into something great.
Despite all the negatives, I believe Memphis can see light at the end of the tunnel. There are four players on the roster currently who could turn into quality starters IF they’re developed properly (that’s where a good coaching staff comes in).
First, there’s Ben Mclemore. Mclemore was selected 7th overall in 2013, but is now considered by many critics to be “a bust.” What I see in Mclemore is raw athleticism. He’s decent beyond the arc but really needs to improve defensively. If he does, then I believe he can become a solid NBA starter.
Andrew Harrison (photo, Grizzy Bear Blues)
Second, there’s Andrew Harrison. Harrison went #44 overall in the 2015 draft. With good size for a guard (6’5”), Harrison could be Conley’s successor. That’s because he has shown the ability to be a reliable passer and defender.
Third, there’s Dillon Brooks. In the 2017 draft combine, Brooks displayed his range from three and drew comparisons to Jared Dudley and Shabazz Muhammad. He’s a sharpshooter, for sure, but I’m not convinced yet that Brooks has star potential.
And, finally, there’s Ivan Rabb. Rabb came out of college showing incredible post skills. If he continues to develop, I think he could become a Zach Randolph-type, grit-and grind-player that the Grizzlies love.
My conclusion is this: Memphis, go for a full-blown rebuild! Your team that has been stuck in mediocrity for more than a decade and now it’s getting older. It’s time to trade away players–Gasol, Conley, Parsons, and others–to acquire free agents and draft picks.
Memphis needs to become competitive again.
