The Grizzlies' season has come to another abrupt ending.
The No. 2 seed in the West was upset by the Lakers, falling in six games in the first round. The Ja Morant-led Memphis squad has qualified for the playoffs three years in a row, but they have not yet reached the Western Conference Finals stage despite securing the No. 2 seed the last two seasons.
That leaves the Grizzlies' front office with some decisions to make this offseason.
For a full breakdown of what lies ahead for Memphis, The Sporting News has you covered below.
MORE: What's next for Trae Young and the Hawks?
Two key storylines
Do the Grizzlies have the right core around Ja Morant?
It may be a bit unfair to ask this question considering the Grizzlies were without two key rotation players in Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke. Those bigs would have undoubtedly helped Memphis' efforts to contain Lakers star Anthony Davis, who closed out the series with 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in a Game 6 blowout.
But I can't say they would have been the difference to elevate the Grizzlies to championship contender status.
It became clear that Memphis needs more shooters to space the floor for Morant. The Lakers were able to sag off most of the Grizzlies' rotation players, packing the paint and limiting Morant's electrifying attacks. Memphis had the third-worst 3-point percentage among playoff teams with guards like Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones failing to punish their defenders.
On the flip side, some of the Grizzlies' brightest offensive flashes came when Luke Kennard was on the floor. He drilled a blistering 50 percent of his 3-pointers in the series before he was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Memphis has a lot of young talent on its roster, but moving some of those pieces for more playoff-tested players may be in its best interest.
Desmond Bane's upcoming contract extension
Bane's contract extension will be the Grizzlies' No. 1 priority this offseason.
The No. 30 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft ended up being a massive steal. He averaged career highs of 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while knocking down 40.8 percent of his 3-pointers.
Bane has already grown as a playmaker and shot creator, and it's clear he's a fitting wingman alongside Morant. He is also a physical and reliable perimeter defender.
It's not crazy to think that Bane could demand a similar deal as players like Jordan Poole (four years, $128 million) or Tyler Herro (four years, $120 million).
Grizzlies' upcoming free agents
Brooks is the Grizzlies' only free agent this offseason. Memphis has a team option on Xavier Tillman's contract.
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Player Option | Team Option |
| Dillon Brooks | None | None | Xavier Tillman |
An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any team. A restricted free agent can sign an offer sheet with any team, but the player's original team has the option to bring him back by matching the offer.
Last offseason, player and team options had to be exercised by June 29, the day before free-agent negotiations began.
Grizzlies' future salary, roster
In the 2022 offseason, the Grizzlies signed Morant to a five-year contract extension that could be worth up to $233 million, pending an All-NBA selection this season. He is under contract until the 2027-28 season, giving Memphis its franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future.
In the 2021 offseason, the Grizzlies inked Jackson Jr. to a four-year, $105 million rookie extension, keeping the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Memphis through the 2025-26 season.
The only undetermined piece of the Grizzlies' core is Bane, who is eligible to sign his rookie-scale extension this offseason.
| Player | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| Ja Morant | $33.5 million | $36.2 million | $38.9 million |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | $27.1 million | $25.3 million | $23.4 million |
| Luke Kennard | $15.4 million | $15.4 million (TO) | UFA |
| Tyus Jones | $14 million | UFA | |
| Steven Adams | $12.6 million | $12.6 million | UFA |
| Brandon Clarke | $12.5 million | $12.5 million | $12.5 million |
| Ziaire Williams | $4.8 million | $6.1 million (TO) | RFA |
| Desmond Bane | $3.9 million | RFA | |
| Jake LaRavia | $3.2 million | $3.4 million (TO) | $5.2 million (TO) |
| David Roddy | $2.7 million | $2.9 million (TO) | $4.8 million (TO) |
| John Konchar | $2.4 million | $6.2 million | $6.2 million |
| Santi Aldama | $2.2 million | $4.0 million (TO) | RFA |
| Xavier Tillman | $1.9 million (TO) | UFA | |
| Kenneth Lofton Jr. | $1.7 million | $2.0 million (NG) | $2.2 million (TO) |
PO = Player option
TO = Team option
NG = Non-guaranteed
UFA = Unrestricted free agent
RFA = Restricted free agent
Grizzlies 2023 NBA Draft picks
The Grizzlies own three picks in the 2023 NBA Draft: No. 25 overall, No. 45 overall (via the Timberwolves) and No. 56 overall.
Their second-round pick via Minnesota comes from the 2022 trade that sent the rights to Walker Kessler and TyTy Washington to the Timberwolves for the rights to Jake LaRavia and a 2023 second-rounder.
In my post-NCAA Tournament Mock Draft, I had the Grizzlies selecting Alabama big man Noah Clowney with their first-round pick, but Memphis may be better off targeting a 3-and-D wing after its first-round exit.
Iowa junior forward Kris Murray and Duke freshman wing Dariq Whitehead are two names in that range who would fit well with the Grizzlies' current roster.
