Tim Legler believes the Memphis Grizzlies‘ ceiling could shock the NBA

After a disastrous 2023/24 campaign, there are some mixed perspectives on the Memphis Grizzlies. They have most of the roster healthy and raring to go, but they have become an unknown commodity ahead of the 2024/25 season.

ESPN analyst and former NBA player Tim Legler spoke about how he sees the Grizzlies because he thinks they are arguably the biggest wild card in the league. The fact that expectations are tempered could benefit the team because they are not as popular as the other teams in the Western Conference.

“You look at what they did last year, and it was literally a non-existent season. Now, you come back and go put Ja Morant in the Western Conference. Hopefully, a healthy Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Jaren Jackson Jr.,” Legler said on the ALL NBA Podcast. “You look at that group and that way they can play on both ends of the floor, this is a team they have a chance to upset the upper card. The range for this team is greater than any team in the Western Conference.”

The Grizzlies can thrive as the “forgotten” team

The West is tight this season, with many teams competing for a spot in the Playoffs. The Houston Rockets are a similar team that could pull off some upsets and make it far in the Conference, but the Grizzlies have the experience to beat the young Rockets. They have some veterans here and there, but even the young players in Memphis are experienced now.

After the 2022/23 season, when the Grizzlies were the second seed in the West, it was challenging not to see them as contenders for years to come. However, the season from hell in 2023/24 led to the Grizzlies’ stock plummeting to rock bottom. Nowadays, they have become a forgotten team, but that is not all too bad, as they can pull off some huge surprises.

The Grizzlies love being doubted

Those familiar with Ja Morant since he joined the team in 2019 could see something brewing in the background, with the lack of media attention that Memphis is getting in discussions about the top teams.

Injuries were the primary reason why the Grizzlies suffered in the last season. Now that the team is mostly healthy, with their stars present, Legler’s point could be proven correct.

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