The Memphis Grizzlies did not put a contending roster around Ja Morant as he enters his prime. They traded away Desmond Bane and only added role players to a roster that was swept in the first round of the playoffs. Morant led the Grizzlies to the second seed in the Western Conference in 2022 and 2023. The superstar has health questions, but Memphis has been elite when he plays. That will be more difficult after a head-scratching offseason.
The Grizzlies cut salary to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr. after an All-Star season. They got a massive haul of draft capital for Bane and replaced him with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.