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Memphis Grizzlies season preview

By Cody Williams

Feb 8, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley and center Marc Gasol prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley and center Marc Gasol prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NBA season will be here before you know it and FanSided is here to get you ready. In the lead-up to Opening Night, we’ll be previewing two teams each day, reviewing roster changes, discussing important players and challenges, and hearing the perspective of our FanSided site experts. Let’s get ready for basketball!

Roster changes

Inputs: Wade Baldwin IV (PG, NBA Draft pick No. 17); Deyonta Davis (PF, NBA Draft pick No. 31); Rade Zagorac (SF, NBA Draft pick No. 35); Wang Zhelin (C, NBA Draft pick No. 57); Chandler Parsons (SF, signed for four years, $94 million); Troy Daniels (SG, signed for three years, $10 million); James Ennis (SF, signed for two years, $6 million);  Andrew Harrison (SG, signed for three years, $3 million)

Outputs: Lance Stephenson (SG, signed with the New Orleans Pelicans); Xavier Munford (SG, unsigned); P.J. Hairston (SF, unsigned); Jordan Farmar (PG, unsigned); Bryce Cotton (PG, unsigned); Matt Barnes (SF, signed with the Sacramento Kings); Chris Andersen (C, signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers); Tony Wroten (PG, unsigned); Nick Calathes (PG, unsigned)

Retained: Mike Conley (PG, signed for five years, $153 million)

Most important player

Given the injuries that the Memphis Grizzlies sustained last season, obviously Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are pivotal to this team. Even if they improved their depth with young players, this team at full-strength is a potential top-four seed in the Western Conference. They miss the playoffs if they have to rely on the new young guns on Beale Street.

However, it’s another player whose injury history is a bit dubious that earns the title of most important for the Grizzlies. Other than re-signing Conley to his massive extension, the biggest move for Memphis this offseason was landing Chandler Parsons. When 100 percent, Parsons is the player that this Grizzlies team has needed for seemingly forever. He’s a versatile wing that can both score from the perimeter (something sorely missing in the Memphis offense) and also create in other avenues. Moreover, his struggles with defensive inconsistency are lessened with the roster around him in Memphis. Adding a fully healthy Parsons to this team makes them more dangerous than they’ve ever been before.

The issue here is, of course, that no one knows if or when Parsons is going to be 100 percent. Even when he got on the floor last season, it was only for stretches before his issues with the knee resurfaced. Consequently, the Grizzlies have to take their time with the forward and not rush his recovery. Parsons missing the start of the season to fully recover for the rest of the year is far more valuable to Memphis than rushing him back would be.

Biggest rivalry

Always and forever, the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers will share a mutual disdain for one another. From their countless physical wars with one another in the regular season to their high-stakes battles in the postseason, these two teams will always be intertwined in the Western Conference.

The 2016-17 season adds an interesting wrinkle, though, as the potential for both teams to make moves in the West is immense. As stated, the Grizzlies adding Parsons could very well make this the most dangerous version of this team yet. Meanwhile, the Clippers get Blake Griffin back and could be viable contenders for the No. 2 slot in the conference. Subsequently, the meetings between these two teams throughout the year are going to only renew a great rivalry that, frankly, was lacking last season due to all the injuries.

What does success look like?

— Ian Pierno, @BealeStBearsFS, Beale Street Bears

Consistency has been the staple of the Memphis Grizzlies’ over the past six years. Fans in Grind City expect to be buying tickets for the postseason, and this year will be no different. However, the Grizzlies have a completely new look this year despite returning longtime guys such as Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Tony Allen and Zach Randolph. Rookie coach David Fizdale has worked into morphing Gasol and Randolph into modern-day NBA big men that (dare I say it?) have the ability to hit shots from behind the arc.

The Grit ‘n’ Grind offense is virtually a thing of the past now, so fans will want a longer playoff run than the first round sweep the team suffered through last. Of course, for that to happen, Memphis needs to keep its players healthy, particularly Gasol and the newly-signed Chandler Parsons.

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