Hope is written all over the Memphis Grizzlies as they enter the 2024-25 NBA regular season.
The stars are back. The head coach is fired up. The rookies look awesome. And hopefully, the injury bug is a thing of the past. Well, at least after a few players return from very minor preseason injuries. But other than that, did we miss anything?
Before things went haywire, Memphis was a budding contender who showcased its immense ceiling in the 2021-22 season, ultimately winning 56 regular season games — tying for the most in franchise history — and perhaps was a healthy Ja Morant away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
It’ll take a steep climb for the Grizzlies to get back to that point, especially when considering the outcome of last season.
It all starts from the top
Let’s be upfront: the only reason Grind City fell out of the title picture is because Morant's last 18 months have been unstable. Injuries, multiple suspensions … plain chaos.
Had No. 12 been consistently available, Memphis would have been in a promising spot today. But throw all that out of the window. It is a new year and a new opportunity. But with that opportunity comes major pressure and expectations on the shoulders of the 25-year-old superstar.
Considering the age and stage of his career, the Murray State product would have been at peak form professionally even if he played 82 games in the last two seasons. But because he went through self-inflicted turmoil, he is under maybe the hottest spotlight in the league.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes presented each team’s biggest question entering the regular season. For the Grizzlies, it all starts and ends with Ja’s ability to recapture his MVP-caliber form.
The question: “Is Ja Morant back on an MVP track?”
“The Memphis Grizzlies have plenty of uncertainties. … None of those issues matter as much as Morant's potential return to MVP contention. Entering his age-25 season, he can either reinsert himself into the "future face of the league" conversations that Anthony Edwards dominated last year or validate all the criticism that suggested he got a little too far out over his skis during Memphis' last two 50-win seasons,” Hughes writes .
The early theme of the Grizzlies season is “revenge,” which is fueled by Morant. It is time for the franchise to re-establish itself as a shoo-in to win 50 games each season. Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart will accompany Ja in the backcourt, a pair of impactful two-way contributors who missed a combined 102 games last season.
The team is also prepared to witness the exciting rise of young stars GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., and Scotty Pippen Jr., giving the roster more depth than it had in arguably any season since Morant’s arrival.
With expectations high, the only choice Memphis has is to respond in a big way. The journey begins on October 23 in an opening-night clash with the Utah Jazz.
Related: Morant loves Grizzlies’ recent roster move
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