NBA: 5 Championship contenders being criminally overlooked as threats

Memphis Grizzlies

To say that the Memphis Grizzlies didn’t take a step back last season would be an understatement. Losing in the first round of the playoffs for a team that was looking to take a developmental step forward in the Western Conference wasn’t a great look. Nevertheless, the hope is that the Grizzlies can shake off the bad taste last year left in their mouth and continue to hit the ground running after the offseason addition of Marcus Smart.

Swapping Smart for Dillon Brooks (essentially) could end up being one of the best moves of the offseason. Ja Morant is going to miss the first 25 games of the season due to suspension, so a slow start may not be unexpected. However, once the team is complete, the Grizzlies have all the ingredients to be a dark horse contender in the West.

The team only goes as far as Morant can take them, but the Grizzlies also have one of the most underrated supporting casts in the NBA. If they can figure out the small forward position, you can also argue that the Grizzlies are one of the deepest teams in the league.