Reviewing the 2021-22 Memphis Grizzlies
June 1st, 2022
By Alan Lu
The Memphis Grizzlies had a very good season, as they were able to win over 50 games in the regular season, and they far exceeded and surpassed expectations. Superstar point guard Ja Morant turned in a terrific season as he made an All-Star team and won the Most Improved Player award, and they also saw much-improved play out of sharpshooter and scoring wing, Desmond Bane, and athletic, skilled big man Jaren Jackson Jr., who shot the ball well and played very good defense. They were able to get to the second round, but they ended up losing to the Golden State Warriors in 6 games in a tough, hard-fought series to them. All in all, they had a very good year, and the Grizzlies have a very bright future ahead of them.
Key Players:
(Photo: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images, via The Washington Post)
Ja Morant
2021-22 (MEM): 27.4 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 49 FG%, 34 3PT%, 76 FT%, 58 TS%, 24.4 PER, 6.7 WS
He had a terrific season, in which he really improved in a bunch of different categories this year. He was already a star point guard, and he became a superstar that entered the elite stratosphere. He is a very athletic point guard that really did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball and making plays, and he played terrific basketball when he was healthy.
2022 Season Grade: A
Projected 2023 Rating: 4 stars (5 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Starting point guard on the Memphis Grizzlies
(Photo: Brandon Dill/Associated Press, via IndyStar)
Jaren Jackson Jr.
2021-22 (MEM): 16.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.3 BPG, 1.1 APG, 42 FG%, 32 3PT%, 82 FT%, 54 TS%, 17.0 PER, 5.4 WS
He is an athletic, skilled big man that can space the floor and score in a variety of ways, and he also played very good defense this year. Plus, he turned in some dominant performances in the postseason this year.
2022 Season Grade: B+
Projected 2023 Rating: 3 stars (4 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Starting power forward on the Memphis Grizzlies
(Photo: Justin Ford/Getty Images, via Yahoo Sports)
Desmond Bane
2021-22 (MEM): 18.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 46 FG%, 44 3PT%, 90 FT%, 59 TS%, 17.6 PER, 7.2 WS
Desmond Bane is a sharpshooting wing player that did a great job of shooting the basketball, and he also really improved as a scorer this year. He was very reliable as a scorer in the postseason, and he has really became one of the best and most trusted players on the Grizzlies’ roster.
2022 Season Grade: A
Projected 2023 Rating: 3 stars (4 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Starter on the Memphis Grizzlies
Brandon Clarke
2021-22 (MEM): 10.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.1 BPG, 64 FG%, 23 3PT%, 65 FT%, 66 TS%, 23.7 PER, 6.3 WS
He is an athletic, energetic combo forward that played very efficiently, and he made sound plays on both ends of the floor, and he especially thrived at making plays off the bench to help the Grizzlies this season.
2022 Season Grade: A
Projected 2023 Rating: 2.5 stars (3 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
Steven Adams
2021-22 (MEM): 6.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.4 APG, 55 FG%, 0 3PT%, 54 FT%, 56 TS%, 17.6 PER, 6.8 WS
He is a strong, physical center that provided rebounding and defense, and he generally excelled as a rim protector for the Grizzlies this year.
2022 Season Grade: B
Projected 2023 Rating: 2.5 stars
Projected 2023 Role: Starting center on the Memphis Grizzlies
De’Anthony Melton
2021-22 (MEM): 10.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 40 FG%, 37 3PT%, 75 FT%, 53 TS%, 15.2 PER, 3.7 WS
He did a good job of shooting, distributing the basketball, and defending for his team this year, and he saw a significant increase in minutes while playing very well in his role for the Grizzlies.
2022 Season Grade: B
Projected 2023 Rating: 2.5 stars
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
Kyle Anderson
2021-22 (MEM): 7.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 45 FG%, 33 3PT%, 64 FT%, 51 TS%, 14.4 PER, 3.5 WS
He is a tall, skilled point forward whose versatility, skill set, and feel for the game enables him to play a lot of different positions on the court. His playing time dropped from last year, and he didn’t shoot the ball nearly as well as he did last year. He still excelled as a playmaker and defender, and he turned in some very good games off the bench to help the Grizzlies in the postseason, especially in their second round series against the Warriors.
2022 Season Grade: B-
Projected 2023 Rating: 2.5 stars
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on an NBA team
Side Note: Kyle Anderson will be an impending unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Tyus Jones
2021-22 (MEM): 8.7 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.4 RPG, 45 FG%, 39 3PT%, 82 FT%, 54 TS%, 16.5 PER, 5.1 WS
He is a skilled point guard that excelled as a shooter, facilitator, and defender in his role for the Grizzlies this past season. He proved to be reliable as a backup point guard, and he played well for his team this year.
2022 Season Grade: B
Projected 2023 Rating: 2.5 stars
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on an NBA team
Side Note: Tyus Jones will be an impending unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Other Notable Players:
(Photo: Petre Thomas/USA Today Sports, via Fansided’s Beale Street Bears)
He played much better than expected this year, and he had a very good rookie season with the Grizzlies. He shot the ball significantly better than expected, and he is a tremendously athletic wing player that showed an improved outside shot, scoring skills, and some defensive skills this year.
2022 Season Grade: A-
Projected 2023 Rating: 2 stars (3 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
He is a strong, energetic big man that can defend multiple positions and make plays on both ends of the floor. He had a very good rookie season last year, but he didn’t get quite as much playing time this season.
2022 Season Grade: C
Projected 2023 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
He is a scoring swingman that didn’t shoot the ball nearly as well from the outside this year, but he did showcase some playmaking skills. He didn’t rebound the ball very well, and he also made a dirty play on Gary Payton II that injured him in the postseason.
2022 Season Grade: C-
Projected 2023 Rating: 2 stars
Projected 2023 Role: Starter on the Memphis Grizzlies
He is a skilled, energetic swingman that played very efficiently in his role with the Grizzlies this year.
2022 Season Grade: A
Projected 2023 Rating: 2 stars
Projected 2023 Role: Rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
Other Players on the Roster:
Jarrett Culver
He’s an athletic swingman that is still trying to find his place in the league, and he didn’t play much on a loaded Grizzlies this year.
2022 Season Grade: D
Projected 2023 Rating: 1.5 stars (2 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Fringe rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
He’s a tall big man that was able to receive some playing time early in the season. He didn’t shoot the ball well in the NBA, but he played considerably better in the G-League.
2022 Season Grade: C-
Projected 2023 Rating: 1.5 stars (2 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Fringe rotation player on the Memphis Grizzlies
He is a tall, floor spacer that didn’t get much playing time in the NBA, but he projects into a stretch big role in the league.
2022 Season Grade: D-
Projected 2023 Rating: 1 star (2 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Fringe rotation player on an NBA team
He is an athletic defensive specialist that didn’t play much in the NBA.
2022 Season Grade: D-
Projected 2023 Rating: 1 star (2 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Fringe rotation player on an NBA team
He is a skilled, mobile point guard that didn’t play much in the NBA this year, but he played well in the G-League.
2022 Season Grade: C
Projected 2023 Rating: 1 star (2 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Fringe rotation player on an NBA team
Head Coach:
(Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images, via Fansided’s Beale Street Bears)
Taylor Jenkins
2021-22 (MEM): 56-26, 6-6 in the 2022 NBA Playoffs
He had a terrific season, in which he led the Grizzlies to get 56 wins in the regular season, and the Grizzlies were one of the best teams in the NBA this year, as they were able to claim the 2nd seed in the West. They won 18 more games in the regular season than last year, and they also were able to get to the second round before losing their series to the Golden State Warriors.
2022 Season Grade: A
Projected 2023 Rating: 3 stars (4 stars potential)
Projected 2023 Role: Head Coach of the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Projected 2022-23 Rotation:
C Steven Adams
F Jaren Jackson Jr.
F Dillon Brooks
G Desmond Bane
G Ja Morant
_____________________
F Brandon Clarke
G De’Anthony Melton
F Ziaire Williams
F Xavier Tillman
G John Konchar
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Picks in the 2022 NBA Draft:
#22, #29, #47
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Projected 2023 Win-Loss Record:
56-26, 2nd in the Western Conference Conference
Their Projected Offseason Plan:
The Memphis Grizzlies aren’t likely to have any cap space to work with, and it’s uncertain if there will be rotation spots available for the players that they will select or acquire in the draft. They did a lot of things well, but they need more shooters, and they could look to find players that would play well off of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane. They may also have to be creative with trades, as they won’t be able to sign players that ask for above the minimum in free agency. Overall, the Grizzlies had a very good season, and as they have a very deep and talented team, they will most likely be contenders for the NBA title next year.
This review was written before the 2022 NBA Draft and the start of free agency. I went to No Trade Clause and Basketball-Reference for research purposes. Thanks for reading.
