When will the Grizzlies survive internally in the small ball market, Morant will carry the flag and make a fortune?

Review of last season

23-24 season was like a nightmare for the Grizzlies - Morant was suspended for gunfire and the team suffered serious injuries, and finally achieved only 27 wins and ended up quickly. It is also because of this that the team’s core task last season was very clear - to recover health and get back on track.

In the end, the Grizzlies handed over a 48-win and 34-loss record, which is a significant improvement compared to the previous season. More importantly, the team's core lineup remains basically healthy, with most of the main players playing more than 65 games (Morant played 50 games), and the new fast-paced pick-and-roll tactical system has also begun to show results. After losing to the Warriors in the playoffs, they withstood the pressure and defeated the Mavericks and advanced to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

However, in the first round of the showdown, facing the equally young but mature system and fast-paced champion Thunder, the Grizzlies were completely suppressed, and Morant also suffered an injury and eventually suffered a 0-4 sweep. This round of series also made the Grizzlies management clearly realize the huge gap between the existing lineup and the top teams, which laid the groundwork for the adjustments during the offseason.

Offs period operations

This summer, the Grizzlies management has strategically reshaped the team's core, optimized the team's salary structure, hoarded future assets, and showed the way to survive in the small ball market.

exchange Bain 1 for 7. When the Thunder and the Pacers were still fighting on the finals stage, the Grizzlies suddenly threw out the first "heavy grenade" of the summer window transfer: send Bain to the Magic, exchange for Pope and Cole Anthony, plus 4 unprotected first rounds and 1 first round to swap rights. Judging from the time node, sending off Bain, who had just entered his peak period, was an unexpected decision, but the magic gave too many... 4 unprotected first rounds provided this small-season team with hard currency for future operations. This deal also greatly reduced the team's salary pressure and left enough room for key players to renew their contracts. The Grizzlies get no ordinary combat power, but they are the top 3D Pope with two championship rings. Although Pope performed mediocrely under the slow pace of the Magic last season, under the fast-paced system of the Grizzlies, he is expected to recreate the value of the championship puzzle.

5-year, $240 million was renewed Jeren Jackson Jr. Although rebounding protection and low-post top defense ability have been criticized, Jaren Jr. proved once again last season that he was one of the most unique offensive and defensive inside lines in the league. He was not only selected as the All-Star again, but also selected as the best defensive second team with his strong assisted defense sweeping ability. Its excellent outside projection and increasingly sophisticated near-bass throws can open up valuable on-field space for Morant. Renewing this "child" early with a five-year maximum salary contract of up to $240 million is the most important operation for the Grizzlies during the offseason. This contract is not only a recognition of his level in recent seasons, but also entrusts the Grizzlies' future defensive system and space support to him.

3 years, 52.5 million yuan renewal of Aldama. As an all-round high-tech turret, Aldama, who has good shooting and ball handling abilities, has become an important rotation on the Grizzlies' forward line. This contract, which is an average annual price of US$17 million, can be regarded as "good quality and low price" against the backdrop of a sharp rise in salary cap. Despite the limitations of switching on the defensive end, Aldama's comprehensive performance on the offensive end provides the Grizzlies with a wealth of tactical options, ensuring the continuity of the second lineup.

3 years and 28 million were signed. Last season, Jerome played the best season of his career with the Cavaliers, averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in just 19.9 minutes, and his three shooting percentage was as high as 51.6/43.9/87.2%! The Grizzlies were able to sign the third player last season's sixth man vote for far less than the full middle class, thanks to a decline in his playoff performance to a certain extent. Jerome's golfer and offensive development capabilities will effectively make up for the scoring vacancy of Bain after he left.

Select Koward. From the unwelcome third-tier league, he transferred and grew up all the way, and was finally selected in the first round of 11. Koward's inspirational basketball story itself is a portrayal of resilience. He has excellent physical talent in static and dynamics, comprehensive scoring skills and a good passing vision. Even if he cannot become a star in the short term, his mature shooting and defense skills also give him the potential to quickly enter the rotation and become a reliable 3D wing.

Signed Landale with a basic salary. The Grizzlies' signing timely supplemented the depth of the center position. With Eddie's injury at the beginning of the season and Clark has not fully recovered, Landal may need to serve as the starting position at the beginning of the season to provide the Grizzlies with sufficient screen quality and defensive hardness.

The current main lineup

defenders: Morant, Pope (deal), Pippen Jr., Jerome (signing), Conchar, Spencer (contract renewal), Small (two-way);

Forwards: Jaren Jackson Jr. (contract renewal), Aldama (contract renewal), Wells, Coward (No. 11 pick), GG Jackson, Vince Williams, Prosper (two-way), PJ Hall (two-way);

Centers: Eddie, Clark, Landare;

Estimated starters: Morant, Pope, Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr., Eddie.

New Season Outlook

Can the Grizzlies in the new season be stronger than last season?

From the perspective of paper strength, the Grizzlies' offseason operation can be considered as a step back 100 steps and 70 steps. Sending Bain away undoubtedly reduced their combat power, but Pope who was replaced with the newly signed Jerome can be tied to a certain extent. However, the real improvement of the Grizzlies' strength depends on the new coach's dispatch and the gradual growth of young players. Can

Morant be competent for the role of team leader?

As the second place in the 19th class, Morant, who has a gorgeous style, has attracted countless fans and has also played the highlight of the MVP vote for the seventh and the best second team, but now he is gradually leaving the scope of discussion of top stars. The long-term reputation of "Wu Mo Xiong" and the incident of off-field gun ownership highlights how embarrassing his situation is. But most of this still stems from Morant's own problems: on the one hand, Morant's attendance rate is not ideal. Putting aside the 23-24 season that only played 9 games, he only averaged 59.6 games in the other 5 seasons, which is obviously difficult to meet the requirements of a team that is determined to playoffs for core players; on the other hand, it is technically insufficient. Morant's three-point shooting percentage has always been lower than the average level (average of 31.6% in career, 30.9% last season). The defects in shooting allow the opponent to formulate targeted defensive strategies to limit his breakthrough end. On the defensive end, he is weak and has difficulty leading a slightly larger defender, with average steal rate and limited defensive contribution.

Record prediction

Considering the trouble of small-scale injuries at the beginning of the season and the intensity of competition in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies are likely to compete for playoff spots again in the new season. It is expected that the Grizzlies' final record will be between 42-48 wins, ranking 7-10th in the Western Conference. If Morant can play in the top ten in the league and second-year players such as Wells and Eddie grow rapidly, the Grizzlies are expected to reach a higher ranking and go even further to the second round.

The Grizzlies in the new season may not be a strong contender for the championship, but they are indeed on the right path. In the NBA, small-scale teams often need more patience, better decision-making, and a little bit of luck. For the Grizzlies, success is not only about how many games they win, but also about establishing a sustainable competitive model, which is also the consistent pursuit of every team in the small-scale market.