Three personnel changes Zach Kleiman must make this offseason

The Memphis Grizzlies are entering an extremely pivotal offseason. There’s the dark cloud of the Ja Morant situation still floating over the franchise, waiting to play out, plus an upcoming lottery pick that is “must-hit” for the franchise. After the trade of franchise cornerstones Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, and amid multiple reports that Morant is on the trade block, the Grizzlies seem to be heading for another rebuild.

Grizzlies' General Manager Zach Kleiman has proven himself to be successful at rebuilds. It took him only two seasons at the helm to create a team that would make the playoffs, and the following two years would create a team that would be the two-seed in the Western Conference.

Kleiman is back in the position he’s good at: creating a team through the draft and outside moves to reach a competitive level. If he wants this team to get back to a competitive level, these are three personnel moves he must make this offseason. 

Zach Edey Insurance

Zach Edey is heading into his third NBA season. In his short time, he’s proven to be the most important player for the Grizzlies.  In the 11 games Edey played this season, the Grizzlies went 7-4. Edey also led the Grizzlies to a defensive rating of 108.6  during the 11-game span. A rating that would rank second in the league. Memphis finished the year with a 112.4 defensive rating, ranked 27th in the league. 

Edey also increased his production on the offensive end. He averaged a double-double with 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on 63% shooting from the field. 

Frankly, the team looks different when he is on the floor. However, with Edey’s season shut down after another surgery for a stress reaction in his left ankle and an additional surgery to address lingering discomfort in his left elbow, his future availability is in question.

Zach Kleiman needs to find an additional big man not just to back up Edey, but to provide a level of production and impact similar to Edey's when Edey eventually misses games. Over the course of the Grizzlies' franchise history, the team is best when it has a consistent, imposing presence down low. Edey is the next iteration of the trend, but needs a comparable backup that can supplement those minutes when he’s gone.

That backup can come in the draft with the Grizzlies 16th pick. Michigan’s Aday Mara is a prospect of similar size and play style to Edey,  projected to go late lottery to mid-first round. That backup could also come through the free agency or trade market. 

New York’s Mitchell Robinson is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. His length, athleticism, and shot-blocking ability would fit well in Tuomas Iisalo’s system. With Memphis’ financial flexibility, Kleiman could offer him a similar contract to the nearly $13 million he’s making with the Knicks.

Another player to keep an eye on is Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein. Oklahoma City will be in a position this offseason to decide whether to dip into its luxury tax to keep its core together. If they want to avoid the tax, Hartenstein and his $28.5 million contract could be the odd man out. Memphis has a trade exception of $28.8 million. Hartenstein could bring his veteran leadership and championship pedigree to a young Grizzlies team that could need it.