NBA Hope Index: How far is each team from a ring heading into 2017-18?

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 12, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 07: Marc Gasol #33 and Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies walk off the floor during a timeout against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on January 7, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

28. Memphis Grizzlies

I want to stop doing this list already.

Putting the Grizzlies – a team that plays harder more consistently than anyone in the league, and generally represents everything right with the NBA – this low just feels…yucky.

The hard facts remain. Even if Chandler Parsons reverts back to the player he was at his very peak, and Conley and Gasol have career years, the team would struggle to get a top four seed in a conference of death.

It doesn’t get better from there.

They not only have no conceivable path to contention as currently constructed, but they’re capped out and are out a future first that would be pivotal to any rebuild should they decide to change course. Gasol would have value in a trade, but the league is saturated with centers and he’s already 32. Mike Conley is still criminally underrated but his contract would be difficult to move, let alone get young players or draft assets for. Chandler Parsons has the worst contract in basketball outside of the metropolitan area.

Path to Glory: Trade Gasol for what you can get early this season, land a top ten pick this year, tank next season before the protections on the traded first rounder start to lessen, and aim to start competing again when Parsons’ contract runs out in 2020.

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