NBA 2018-19 Season Preview: Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies' 2017-18 season was not much to write home about. Their season actually got off to a pretty good start, as Mike Conley and Marc Gasol combined to lead them to a win over Golden State in their first matchup of the season.
Before Conley went down to a season-ending Achilles injury, they boasted of a 7-5 record, but their season degenerated from that point onward.
They finished the season with a 22-60 record, their lowest win total in quite a long time. They embraced the tank in mid-December once it became clear that they would have no chance of making the playoffs, and were rewarded with the 4th overall pick of the draft which they used to draft the best two-way big man available in the draft in Jaren Jackson Jr.
A couple of roster changes aside, however, their season ahead looks pretty much the same as it did a year ago. Read on to find what we can expect from them this season:
Offseason activity
The Grizzlies' best and most consistent player from last season is no longer with the roster. Tyreke Evans balled out in possibly the best form of his career for a 52-game season with Memphis last year, before being shut down for the season after going down injured in late January.
But they have made some shrewd moves in the offseason, offering restricted free agent Kyle Anderson a 4-year, $37 million contract that is about perfect for a player of his caliber. They also signed Omri Casspi on a 1-year, $2.8 million deal and traded for Garrett Temple from the Kings, surrounding Conley and Gasol with passable wing depth and shooters.
Rookies Jevon Carter and Jaren Jackson Jr look likely to be contributors right off the bat. While Jackson Jr's virtues are well-documented, Carter is one of the low-key second-round draft picks who have already flashed lockdown defensive potential in the Summer League.
All in all, the offseason could be graded at a solid B for the Grizzlies given their inclination to compete for a playoff berth during the 2018-19 season (their first-round draft pick is owed to the Celtics next year).