Memphis Grizzlies Enter Camp With Questions and Quiet Optimism

September in the NBA always brings excitement and new questions. For the Memphis Grizzlies, training camp opens later this month with a sense of cautious optimism. The franchise has been a playoff fixture in recent years, but last season’s collapse from a top spot in the Western Conference to a disappointing finish left scars. Now, the organization has recalibrated, reshuffled, and recommitted around its cornerstone stars, but the ceiling remains unclear.

Memphis Grizzlies Enter Camp With Questions and Quiet Optimism

From Bane to Balance

The most significant change came early in the summer when Memphis shipped out Desmond Bane, their homegrown scoring guard, in a blockbuster trade with the Orlando Magic. In return, they landed veteran 3-and-D specialist Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, whose championship pedigree and defensive reliability fit the Grizzlies’ new balance ethos. The trade was less about giving up on Bane than consolidating a plateaued core.

The message was clear: Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are the foundation, and the pieces around them must complement, not crowd, the stars. The re-signings of Jackson and versatile forward Santi Aldama, plus the free-agent addition of Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ty Jerome, give Memphis a lineup that can score from multiple spots without overrelying on one perimeter scorer.

The System and the Big Man Bet

If there was a silver lining to last year’s turbulent finish, it was how first-year head coach Tuomas Iisalo adjusted on the fly. His decision to lean heavily on the pick-and-roll between Morant and rookie center Zach Edey created an offensive wrinkle opponents struggled to contain. The seven-foot-four Edey’s soft hands and improving footwork gave Morant a reliable lob threat, while also opening the floor for Jackson to space out.

That tandem looked promising in stretches, and the front office doubled down on the idea by adding more flexibility on the wing. Drafting Cedric Coward with the No. 11 pick, a versatile swingman with size and upside, signals Memphis is leaning into switchable lineups and matchup creativity.