The Grizzlies faced a few difficult questions this summer and made the rational decision to let some of their most beloved veterans walk. It wouldn’t have been financially prudent to chase Zach Randolph or Vince Carter, and even bringing back Tony Allen would have limited the club’s flexibility heading forward.
If that means that the Grizzlies have come to grips with their reality as a good-but-not-great team in the West, then they can start trying other things to get over the hump.
The Grizzlies didn’t just sit idly by as their veterans signed contracts elsewhere — they strung together a series of investments in players that could use a fresh start. Considering that Memphis’ de facto calling card has been bringing out the best in underrated players, additions like those of Tyreke Evans and even Ben McLemore could end up looking particularly savvy once they’ve been exposed to the franchise’s successful system.
Key offseason losses:
Nobody is mistaking the Zach Randolph of today with the Randolph of five years ago, but the club still won’t be the same without him. With Z-Bo out of the picture, Memphis will be one step closer to finally ditching their slow, grinding style of play, something head coach David Fizdale tried to do by bumping JaMychal Green ahead of Randolph in the depth chart last year.
It’s impressive how productive Carter has been in the twilight of his career, but he wasn’t about to be a difference-maker for a Western Conference team facing the sort of uphill battle that Memphis does. Although the club will miss his leadership on and off the court, his absence frees up more opportunities for younger players to assume more responsibility.
Allen played a vital role in the Grizzlies’ ability to be as consistently competitive as they’ve been for the past half-decade, but at this stage of the game, the team needs more than just niche veterans — Memphis needs new blood that can grow and develop over time.
Key offseason additions:
The Grizzlies managed to land what could go down as one of the biggest bargains of the offseason. While it may not be quite as dramatic as Derrick Rose signing for the veteran minimum, the Grizz did manage to add Evans for a pittance of what he could be worth next summer.
Of course health is always the issue for Evans and this year will serve as a test to prove that he can stay on the court. The guard has missed at least 10 games in six of his seven seasons and only appeared in 65 total games over the past two years. Still, at $3.3MM, a 27-year-old with tantalizing per-36 numbers is worth a look, especially on a deal that’s off the books completely next summer.
McLemore has trudged along through four underwhelming seasons in the NBA, and now finally finds himself on a competitive ball club. While we shouldn’t expect him to start living up to the hype that surrounded him out of Kansas as a rookie, the 24-year-old shooting guard is a scrappy perimeter player with a solid three-point shot. McLemore won’t likely blossom into a star in Memphis, but he could be groomed as a solid system player for years to come.
Outlook for 2017/18:
The Grizzlies came to the realization that their old core and their old playing style weren’t going to get them any closer to a title than they were in 2013. That doesn’t mean that the front office tore it all down and set out on a rebuild though, either.
By letting familiar faces like Randolph and Allen walk, general manager Chris Wallace freed up enough roster and financial flexibility to bring aboard a new class of players that can be developed as the next generation of Grizzlies glue guys.
It’s hard to expect much of an improvement out of the team this season, but the calls for a regression may be a bit premature. The Grizzlies will return their two best players – Mike Conley and Marc Gasol – in 2017/18 and, more importantly, the bulk of the club’s success has come as a unit anyway.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Luke Adams contributed to this post.
