9. Memphis Grizzlies
Losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, as the higher seed, it’s easy to see why the hype surrounding the Memphis Grizzlies has died down heading into the start of this season. However, I’d also argue that it could end up being a big mistake. If the Grizzlies can survive the first 25 games without Ja Morant, they should be in a good place to finish as a top seed in the regular season.
The Grizzlies made one of the better moves of the offseason when they acquired Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics; he’ll essentially be replacing Dillon Brooks. At least on paper, that’s a huge win for the Grizzlies. With all due respect to Brooks, he simply didn’t fit in Memphis and it was time for a change. Smart does a lot of what Brooks brought the Grizzlies on the defensive end while also being the leader he wasn’t.
I have a feeling we’re going to see a Grizzlies team that will be playing with a big chip on their shoulder this season. And it’s going to pay off in a big way this season.