Projected Grizzlies depth chart and rotation entering the regular season

Looking to put the 2023-24 season from hell behind them, the Memphis Grizzlies enter the season as everyone's favorite team to skyrocket up the standings in an improvement on last year. With their superstar point guard Ja Morant back in the fold, along with improved health (though that's not looking too great already), they have a variety of tools to get back to the 50-win team they were prior to last season.

The Grizzlies were actually rather quiet this offseason, preferring to bet on improved health and their new big man to return to form. With 12 returning players on the roster, this choice will certainly be tested as the season progresses. A new-look coaching staff behind Taylor Jenkins will be looking to parlay some experience from players like Jaren Jackson Jr., Vince Williams Jr. and Desmond Bane - who were overtaxed in their roles last year due to Morant's absence - into into some new wrinkles that may not have otherwise been possible from a developmental standpoint.

With an electric star like Morant back in the lineup, the team should be able to deploy combinations that make so much more sense than anything they were able to roll out last season. They're young and athletic with a multitude of options to push the right buttons. Let's take a look at what the rotation can look like for the upcoming season.

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Grizzlies projected depth chart for 2024-25

Three two-way slots are also filled by Jay Huff, Yuki Kawamura and Cam Spencer. Huff shot an impressive 42.0 percent from three in preseason, while Kawamura captured the hearts of many with some flashy passes and his underdog look at a diminutive 5-foot-8. Huff, in particular, could find himself getting some minutes if there are any injuries in the frontcourt.

While yet to rise to the levels of their record-setting games missed due to injury of last season, the Grizz are already off to a rough start on that front. Exciting young wing GG Jackson is unlikely to return to the lineup before 2025, while Vince Williams Jr. will be out multiple weeks and Jaren Jackson Jr. is also already nursing a (hopefully) minor injury as opening night approaches.

With this in mind, the wing rotation will look a little different than the healthy, actualized version that was envisioned to start the year. Expect to see a lot of Luke Kennard and John Konchar, who have proven to be solid rotation pieces in their careers. This will also likely be an opportunity for young players Jake LaRavia and Jaylen Wells to show what they can do. Without Jackson and Williams Jr., they're missing a lot of size and athleticism, but perhaps the veteran experience and shooting ability of the others will help hold down the fort.

When healthy, the starting lineup looks like it could be as dynamic as ever. Marcus Smart had a disappointing year in 2023-24 and he'll be giving up a lot of size on defense most nights, but he's a gritty veteran who has long been one of the best defenders in the league, providing the most value in his ability to guard up in size. Getting back to a more optimized offensive hierarchy will also likely help things look better on that front.

In their last healthy season together (2022-23), the trio of Morant, Bane and Jackson Jr. played at an elite level, logging a plus-11.7 differential (97th percentile) in almost 1000 minutes together per Cleaning the Glass. With Smart playing the Dillon Brooks role and Zach Edey doing his best to approximation of Steven Adams, they have the theory of a starting lineup that will be difficult to contend with on a night-to-night basis.

Zach Edey, the 7-foot-4 big man out of Purdue could be a huge swing piece for this team. He's the only five with true center size on the standard roster and will play an immensely important role this season. His giant screens should free up Morant and Bane for driving lanes and pull-ups, while his aggression on the offensive glass will provide extra possessions, which has been critical to their success in the past. The X-factor, though, could be offering a change of pace as a post scorer, where he's been close to unstoppable during the preseason. Being that he's just a rookie, though, it is nice that they already have established veterans around him in the starting lineup that will help insulate him against the inevitable growing pains.

Having just signed his first standard NBA contract, Scotty Pippen Jr. seems to have earned the backup point guard role in his third season. He is an energetic defender, making athletic steals and blocks all over the court who has steadily improved his offensive game to snag this role. He will also likely share some ball handling duties with Smart and Bane when Morant is out of the lineup, helping to maintain more stability in this area.

It's been a while since we've seen it, but the Jaren Jackson Jr.-Brandon Clarke duo is one that was quite effective in the past as well. Their combination of athleticism on the defensive end of the floor caused a lot of problems for opponents, while the synergy between Jackson Jr.'s floor spacing and Clarke's rim rolling and floater made it difficult for defenses to corral them as well. Clarke is coming off a major injury, while Jackson Jr. is looking to bounce back on the defensive side of the ball after following his Defensive Player of the Year award with a significantly less effective defensive season last year. The general consensus is that this was due in large part to the increased offensive load he had to carry and the oddball lineup combinations he played with, so this will be his chance to prove it.

While things would certainly look like they're going to improve since last season (can't be much worse), it has been long enough since we've seen this group playing at a high level that it is fair to wonder if it can be replicated. They've got the athleticism, hunger and defensive chops to definitely make it happen and a star as bright as Morant will undoubtedly elevate the entire roster every minute he's on the floor.