The Memphis Grizzlies' general manager admits that the team is nowhere near close to competing for an NBA Championship.
Three years ago, the Memphis Grizzlies had the look of a team that was going to be a rising championship contender for years to come. However, since making a run to the Western Conference semifinals back in 2022, it's almost as if nothing has gone right for the Grizzlies. Since then, the Grizzlies have made the playoffs twice in the last three years, and they have a grand total of two playoff wins.
Ja Morant has seemingly regressed as a budding star in each of the last three seasons, and this year ended via a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. If the Thunder are the standard of excellence in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies are not close. Morant can say all he wants, but I can't imagine even if he didn't get injured that the Grizzlies would've had much of a shot with how dominant the Thunder have been this season.
The Memphis Grizzlies aren't close to winning an NBA Championship
And that sentiment is being echoed by Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman. Speaking with reporters recently, Kleiman admitted that the Grizzlies are not close to contender for a title and will have their work cut out for them heading into the offseason.
"I don't think we can look back at this series and this season and say, 'Oh, we're close,'" Kleiman said. "No, we're not close. There's a lot of work to be done.Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman
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Now that the Grizzlies can begin to look toward the offseason, there are several big-picture questions that the franchise will have to answer. These questions range from whether Morant should be considered the foundational piece of a build moving forward to whether the supporting cast can be good enough to compete for a title to whether it's worth giving Santi Aldama and/or Jaren Jackson Jr. the contract extensions they're probably going to ask for during the offseason.
All in all, nothing will be easy or simple for the Grizzlies this summer. For a team that seemed destined for perennial contention in the West, this franchise may find itself at a bit of a crossroads heading into the summer. And depending on what they decide, it could go a long way in dictating what this team's future looks like moving forward. Changes could be very much in the future for the Grizzlies, and it seems as if Kleiman all but hinted at this with his end-of-the-season comments.