EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe dawn of a new era begins in Memphis after trading former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz last season and moving two-time All-Star Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason.The Grizzlies will turn to fresh faces to turn around a team that finished with 25 wins during the 2025-26 season. The dismal record landed Memphis the No. 3 pick in the 2026 draft, and the franchise selected Duke standout Cameron Boozer, who is believed to be a franchise-changing prospect.Along with Boozer, Memphis will build around its youth with Cedric Coward and Zach Edey returning for their third and second seasons, respectively. Isaiah Stewart and Quinten Post were also added to the roster this offseason.The Grizzlies will certainly look different during the 2026-27 season, but will old problems still arise?ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for all 30 teams.Quick links:Roster | Depth chart | TransactionsMore Grizzlies coverage | More NBAOffseason at a glanceKey additions: F Cameron Boozer (No. 3 pick), G D'Angelo Russell, F Isaiah Stewart, F Jerami Grant, F Kris Murray, C Quinten PostKey retentions: NoneKey subtractions: G Ja Morant, F Santi AldamaMemphis finally traded Ja Morant, turning the last page from an ultimately disappointing chapter in franchise history, and already has his replacement as the face of the franchise in place: No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. GM Zach Kleiman has overhauled the roster in the past few transaction cycles, acquiring four first-round picks when he traded Desmond Bane, a few more when he dealt Jaren Jackson Jr. and none for Morant, whose departure signaled a fresh start for the Grizzlies and him. Memphis is in a full-blown youth movement, as 21-year-old forward GG Jackson is now the longest-tenured player on the roster. The Grizzlies say they believe they have a long-term foundation in place with their last few lottery picks: center Zach Edey, small forward Cedric Coward and power forward Boozer. -- Tim MacMahonZach Kram's offseason grade: BMemphis shuffled its big-man rotation, adding Isaiah Stewart and Quinten Post while trading Santi Aldama, but the team's biggest move this summer was finally trading Morant. The Grizzlies didn't get much in return -- Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, with no draft picks included -- but they shouldn't have expected to, given how far Morant's stock had fallen over the past few years.It seems that letting Morant go at any cost and getting a clean slate to build around Boozer, Coward and Edey was the primary goal. -- KramWhat we learned over the past few monthsFrom Ben Golliver's offseason lessons piece: The Grizzlies were convinced Morant wasn't worth the trouble.The Grizzlies got four unprotected first-round picks for trading Bane and three first-round picks for trading Jaren Jackson, so their decision to send Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers without receiving a single pick of any kind in return spoke volumes.Clearly, Morant wore out his welcome and sabotaged his trade value with his off-court behavior and lack of availability in recent seasons. Earlier this month, the two-time All-Star argued that his past actions, including two gun-related suspensions, shouldn't continue to define him."I've done what I've done in the past, but it's been addressed and handled already," Morant said. "I don't see why years later that's still the topic when nothing's happened since."Portland was willing to take a flier on Morant, but only after Memphis decided that he had been given enough second chances. Though Morant's departure leaves a big hole at point guard, 19-year-old Boozer appears ready to step in as the next face of the Grizzlies franchise. The No. 3 pick lived up to his reputation as a reliable and versatile leader by helping Memphis advance to the Las Vegas summer league's championship game. -- GolliverThe big question: Can Edey stay healthy?Literally and figuratively, the 7-foot-3, 305-pound Edey plays a huge part in the Grizzlies' long-term plans. He has shown flashes of being a dominant interior presence with a soft touch, profiling as a terrific complement to Boozer, a bruising 253-pounder with a point guard's vision and feel. But Edey's health looms like a dark cloud. He played only 11 games last season because of lingering issues with his left ankle, which he had surgery on after his rookie season and again last March. The Grizzlies have depth at center after trading for Stewart and signing Post in restricted free agency, but their plans for a relatively quick rebuild rely on Edey being healthy and productive. -- MacMahonBasketball Power Index rank: No. 24Here are the predicted Net Points per 100 possessions for the Grizzlies' top seven players for the 2026-27 season:Memphis was the No. 2 seed in the West in 2023. They were young, their fans had dreams. Last season, only 22% of the Grizzlies' minutes were played by guys who were on that 2023 roster. Teams that win so much, especially with relative youth, don't usually turn over at that rate, but that 22% is likely to drop to 0% this season. Among those no longer on the roster: Jaren Jackson (age 26), Morant (26), Bane (28), Dillon Brooks (30) and Aldama (25). Also, Brandon Clarke, 29, died in May of an accidental drug overdose. -- Dean OliverRead about how Net Points works here.Post-free agency Power Rankings: Grizzlies are No. 26Tiering the 22 teams that can extend the NBA's parity runBiggest X factor this seasonG Ty JeromeIt came in a small sample for a team that had already pivoted toward the lottery, but Jerome's performance last season was extraordinary. In 15 games for his new team, Jerome averaged 19.7 points (up from a previous career high of 12.5) while making 42% of his 3s. By box plus-minus, Jerome had the third-highest offensive impact of any player in the league, on a per-possession basis, behind only MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and MVP runner-up Nikola Jokic.Can Jerome produce at anywhere near that level over a full season, in games with more stakes? The answer to that question could determine Memphis' odds of making a sneaky run to the play-in. -- KramFantasy insight from our expertPick to make ahead of the season: Cedric CowardCoward is a breakout candidate after averaging 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 47 games as a rookie. The departures of Ja Morant and Santi Aldama signal a new era in Memphis, giving Coward every opportunity to take on a bigger role. His ability to contribute across multiple categories should help make up for any concerns about his field goal percentage. -- Eric MoodyOdds by DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publication.
