The Memphis Grizzlies could have a giant turnaround next season

The Memphis Grizzlies fell to 21-58 on the season when the Sacramento Kings defeated them on Friday night.

After making the playoffs for seven-straight years, to say that the season has been a gigantic letdown would be an understatement.

Dealing with a preposterous amount of injuries, an mid-season coaching change and a general inability to match up against the talented teams across the league, it’s been a disaster in Memphis.

However, an upcoming high first-round 2018 Draft pick might end up being a positive in the long run.

There are even a couple more reasons that Grizzlies fans should be excited for next season, even coming off of a horrific campaign. All-in-all, the franchise even has a chance to make some history.

Turnaround time

The Grizzlies will most likely have a strong chance to crack the list of the top five NBA single-season turnarounds in NBA history. The Boston Celtics currently top that list. After going just 24-58 in 2006-2007, they went 66-16 and won an NBA title in 2007-2008. Given the nature of the Western Conference, it seems a bit farfetched for the Grizzlies to accomplish a similar feat.

But, the other four turnarounds might be attainable. The San Antonio Spurs went 20-62 in 1996-1997 and then went 56-26 in 1997-1998, eventually losing in the Western Conference semifinals. The Spurs also came in third on the list, going 21-61 in 1988-1989 and then 56-26 in 1989-1990, but lost in seven games in the conference semifinals. The Phoenix Suns went 29-53 in 2003-2004 and then 62-20 in 2004-2005 before losing in the Western semifinals. Finally, the New Jersey Nets went 26-56 in 2000-2001 and then 52-30 in 2001-2002 before also being eliminated in the playoffs.

If they lose their last three games this season, the Grizzlies will finish 21-61. But, they’re clearly in a better position than every other team at the bottom of the standings.

Star power

In case you forgot, the Grizzlies have two All-Star talents on their roster.

Mike Conley, who missed most of the season with an injury, signed the richest deal in NBA history a couple years ago and averaged 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game when he was fully healthy last season. He’s played all 11 years of his career in Memphis and made it clear that he wants to continue doing so.

Marc Gasol is averaging 17.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 33.0 minutes per game this season and is one of the most well-rounded big men in the game. With an ability to facilitate as well, he complements Conley perfectly.

Both players are incredibly active within the Memphis community and are proud to call it home. At a recent charity event, that was obvious.

“For a long time, we made a commitment as a team, as a franchise to not only be a part of the community, but THE community and be all one,” Gasol said, per Karl Bullock of Sports Illustrated. “I think that’s why we have the support that we have from our fans because they don’t see us as somebody that supports the community. They see us a part of them. They see us trying to help in every way possible. We’ve been everywhere here and there’s a reason why we’ve been so successful. Even though we don’t have as many of the older guys that we had here in the past, we try to teach and show, by example, the younger players how important it is for their success, on the court, to support all the people in Memphis. Without the support of the people of Memphis these things are not going to happen. For that to happen you need to support the people in Memphis and show them you care about them. It goes both ways and we have the synergy between the Memphians and the Grizzlies for a long time, and we’ll continue to do it for as long as we can.”

“Being a part of this community, seeing it firsthand, seeing how much we can create change and how much we can affect peoples daily lives is humbling. It’s an experience that you realize it’s not about what you do on the court. It’s bigger than the game and it’s bigger than you. It’s about spreading that awareness to those who might not have it and helping those who are afflicted by certain things,” Conley explained.

Therefore, having two stars as active as they are within the city only increases the love that the fans have towards the entire team.

Since most NBA teams at the top of the standings have at least two All-Star caliber players, Memphis will presumably have Conley and Gasol healthy to start next season, in addition to whoever the front office surrounds them with.

Big three on the way

Since the Grizzlies have struggled so badly this season, they will find their name somewhere at the top of the first round of the upcoming draft.

Therefore, perhaps they’ll be able to grab DeAndre Ayton and pair him with Gasol in the frontcourt. Marvin Bagley might be the answer, as he projects to be more of a power forward at the NBA level. International star Luka Doncic could also be in play since he can also impact the game in a variety of ways just like Conley and Gasol.

Others like Michael Porter Jr., Mohamed Bamba, Jaren Jackson Jr., Collin Sexton and Trae Young could also be options.

Regardless of who they choose, the Grizzlies are going to receive a franchise-altering talent to pair with their two stars.

Or, depending on the financial implications, the Grizzlies might be able to move the pick in order to receive a proven NBA talent. Nonetheless, a new “big three” will be formed.

Maturing talent

Another positive about losing so many games is that the organization has been able to give their young, inexperienced players some minutes.

It only took them one game to sign MarShon Brooks to a two-year guaranteed contract. He had previously played in China for a few seasons and has been brilliant in his few games with the club.

Further, Jarell Martin, Deyonta Davis, and Ivan Rabb have been able to show their skills in the frontcourt. Two of them or all three could crack next year’s rotation along with JaMychal Green, who looked like a starting-caliber player all season long.

Dillon Brooks will most likely play a substantial role next year while Wayne Selden and Ben McLemore could also get minutes off the bench.

Most importantly, Tyreke Evans, who had a resurgent year for the Grizzlies, is set to become an unrestricted free agent. If there’s any chance that he re-signs, their starting five could instantly become one of the best in the entire league, factoring in the fact that they’ll also have a high draft pick.