I don't think the Grizzlies have ever been more confident than they are in this moment.
By: Riley Staton (@threewindrileys on Instagram)
Photo by: sportingnews.com
I have had to put up with a lot of nonsense this 2022-23 season across most of my winter teams. The Tennessee Titans are vomiting all over themselves, and the Nashville Predators are one of the most aggressively mid teams in all of North American sports. However, through all of this, there has been one positive force in my life, one team that, no matter what B.S. is thrown at them, will always emerge better and stronger than before. Although they have been gaining more and more publicity lately, I would still consider them relatively undermined in the grand scheme of things. Thus, ladies and gentlemen, what I and many more fans would call the best-kept secret of the NBA: YOUR Memphis Grizzlies.
Nothing I say about the Grizzlies is possible without the draft luck that could have only come from whatever basketball God exists. Back in 2018, we acquired the unusually young, freakishly athletic defensive stalwart Jaren Jackson Jr. Trip, as he is known by true Grizzlies fans, had a few setbacks throughout his journey. From stagnating stats to injuries, Jaren has faced hell and back since he has arrived here. Despite all of this, he is having what is clearly his breakout season. He's been able to combine his three-point shooting and general shooting splits developed early in his career with a Defensive Player of the Year-level skillset on the other side of the ball, and is sneakily becoming one of the better players in the entire league as we speak. Speaking of best in the league...
Photo by: Brandon Dill/AP Photo
Temetrius Jamel Morant. He is him, simply. Take D-Rose in his prime, give him double the audacity, and don't zap away all of his athleticism with a bad ACL, and you have a recipe for a top three point guard in the league. His dunks are earth-shattering, his fundamentals sound, his cockiness through the roof. He is truly built to be one of the faces of the NBA, and the numbers don't lie either.
The third common Grizzlies draft W taken recently was the absolute steal that has been Desmond Bane. My personal favorite player in the league, Bane is a knockdown shooter with the physique of a linebacker. His strength is almost unmatched by players at his position (SG/SF), and his 3-ball only adds to his versatility and deadliness. Combine those with an ever-improving perimeter defense and sound fundamentals, and that man can simply hoop. Despite the stretch immediately after returning from injury where he forgot how to shoot for a little bit, Bane has rebounded (no pun intended) very well, and has proven himself to once again be a cornerstone of this team. Almost 22 points a game as a third-year second option is hard to argue with.
The ensemble isn't anything to sneeze at either. Dillon Brooks is still Dillon Brooks, for better or for worse. Steven Adams is still there for a guaranteed eight rebounds and one cool half-court pass per game. Tyus Jones is still consistent as all hell. Ziaire Williams has kinda sucked, but I'll let that one slide. Sophomore slump or something like that. John Konchar. He's there. Brandon Clarke still plays like his life depends on it off the bench, which you love to see. Santi Aldama has broken out as a cool little bench piece this season, providing some steady big man play. Lest we forget, the plethora of rookies we have this year all add a dynamic offensive output and consistent defensive presence to back up the stars.
The only question for Memphis' front office is where to go from here. It is waiting to be seen whether we have reached our ceiling with our current squad after last year's heartbreaking loss to Golden State in the second round. There have been mumblings of a trade potentially involving OG Anunoby, but reports are saying that the Raptors expect a king's ransom for him, which I would strongly advise not giving up. Other names have popped up, particularly players like Buddy Hield, John Collins, and Myles Turner, but would they really fit with the current team that well? It's not the worst situation to be in, no doubt, but it is a little frustrating. With our main core, our potential is unlimited, but we await to see whether we can find the right pieces to fit.