Last season's worst NBA offense may struggle again

One of the most glaring issues of the Memphis Grizzlies' catastrophic 2023-24 campaign was their horrific offense.

With Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and most of their core members inactive due to injuries, the Grizzlies saw their once-elite firepower team become the worst offense in the league.

Memphis was dead last in the NBA in three offensive categories: offensive rating (103.2), points per game (105.8), and field goal percentage (43.5%).

But everything will be different in the upcoming season due to the return of Ja Morant and others, right?

Wrong, according to Bleacher Report's Dan Favale, who included Memphis - alongside four other teams - in an article titled "NBA Playoff Hopefuls That Could Struggle on Offense," which was published last Friday .

Grizzlies "thin on caps-lock SHOOTERS"

Favale foresees that in the 2024-25 season, Memphis will again have difficulty scoring the ball, noting the squad's inconsistent shooting and ineffective half-court offense.

"Half-court limitations have plagued them even at their best. Their efficiency outside of transition has placed no higher than 22nd since Morant was drafted," Favale wrote.

"Perhaps the most notable strides made by Jackson (self-creation) and Bane (playmaking) reverse the trend, but I'm skeptical. This group remains thin on caps-lock SHOOTERS, an issue that will be most damning when someone other than Morant (such as Marcus Smart or Vince Williams Jr.) is spearheading the offense," he added .

Injury to offensive upside

One reason for the Grizzlies' optimism about having a better offensive season is second-year forward GG Jackson II. As a rookie last year, Jackson averaged 14.6 points, 4.1 boards, and 1.2 assists across 41 games and was named a member of the All-Rookie Second Team. Selected by Memphis with the 45th pick of the 2023 NBA draft, Jackson came out of nowhere to become one of the most promising prospects of his rookie class.

Unfortunately, GG, who had perhaps the biggest offensive upside in Memphis' rotation, broke his foot in the offseason and will miss at least the first three months of the season. The sophomore would've been a major contributor and can still become one in the second half of the season. But the Grizzlies will need to find alternatives to endure his temporary absence during the first portion of the season.

With a rejuvenated Ja, Jaren Jackson Jr. (who averaged a career-best 22.5 points in 66 games last season), and Desmond Bane leading the charge, Memphis is determined to put behind last season's struggles and perform at a much higher level on both ends of the court.

One thing is certain: To compete in a stacked Western Conference, the Grizzlies will need their offensive output to dramatically grow from last season's showing.

Related: Ranking the best seasons in Grizzlies franchise history