For nine games, the Memphis Grizzlies got to see what an idealized form of their squad would look like this season (not withstanding Steven Adams' injury before the year). But that's all they got before Ja Morant suffered a season-ending injury, stunting his comeback.
The Grizzlies announced the devastating news on Monday night, revealing Morant would miss the rest of the 2023-24 campaign with a torn labrum, which he suffered during practice on Saturday. He didn't play Sunday, supposedly due to a sore shoulder, but the diagnosis is much worse for the star guard. Of course, Morant also started the season with a 25-game suspension due to his off-court conduct. It's essentially becoming a lost season for Memphis.
With Ja Morant done for the year, how should the Memphis Grizzlies proceed with their season?
The Grizzlies got nine games with Morant. In those games, the team went 6-3 and Morant played at the MVP level he's quickly been known for, including a buzzer-beater game winner in his first game of the year. Without Morant, Memphis has been one of the worst teams in the NBA.
Any hopes Memphis had to build on last season's success have all but flown out the door in the past few months. The Grizzlies have a solid core in place, but it's time for the franchise and the front office to start looking toward next season. So what should the Grizzlies do in the near future this season? Here are three ideas for the franchise.