The grit-and-grind basketball is not going anywhere thanks to Marc Gasol agreeing to re-sign a long-term deal with the Memphis Grizzlies this summer.
The core players are back, and they will have a complete season this year to integrate Jeff Green into their hard-nosed, old-school style of play.
Memphis finished fifth in the Western Conference last season, mustering a record of 55-27 and making it to the second round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors.
However, with almost the same exact team as last season, the Grizzlies are more than likely to make the postseason once again, but the struggle with this franchise has been their inability to get deep into the playoffs due to a lack of offense.
We know how suffocating the Grizzlies are on defense, as they were ranked second in points allowed last year. But, outside of Zach Randolph and Gasol’s dominance in the paint, they are sluggish offensively with not enough perimeter scorers.
The additions of Courtney Lee and Green over the last few seasons were supposed to help, but it hasn’t made much of a difference.
This offseason, the team made a couple of key additions, hoping to improve their offense by acquiring veteran Matt Barnes and the long and athletic Brandan Wright.
Barnes, 35, is a sufficient spot up shooter who can provide some energy and hustle off the pine. Unfortunately, he is going to have to battle a few other players for minutes due to a crowded wing position. However, if Barnes finds some play time, he could occasionally spark the Grizzlies offense off the bench.
Wright was probably the most underrated move made this summer, as the 27-year old took a three-year, $17 million deal to join the Grizzlies as the potential backup to both Gasol and Randolph.
The young big man is an adequate rim protector and a terrific around the basket scorer, averaging a sizzling 68.3 percent from the field throughout his career. Wright can certainly ignite the crowd and his teammates with his intense end-to-end play, and he will undoubtedly make for a nice alley-oop partner with the Memphis point guards.
Adding both Wright and Barnes can slightly help the team’s offensive woes, but the returning players are the ones who need to enhance their offensive game for them to enjoy a lengthy playoff run.
Mike Conley, who has actually been improving his offensive game over the years, is going to have to be the x-factor for this team again. He is considered the third best player on the roster and is the team’s floor general. Not only is he a major factor on the offensive end, but he is one of the best perimeter defenders on the squad. His short absence during last year’s playoffs hurt the team considerably.
Speaking of which, late-season health is going to be key for this team. Not only did Conley miss some time during the postseason, but Tony Allen, The Grind Father himself, also battled minor injuries in the second round. Conley may be the x-factor to the team’s success, but Allen is the heart and soul of the team, mainly due to his exuberant defensive plays.
If the Grizzlies aren’t banged up late in the season, they could have the opportunity to make a longer playoff run. However, the Western Conference is not going to be a walk in the park, as Memphis has to prove that they can beat powerhouses such as the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and a healthy Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game series if they want to advance deeper into the playoffs.