This was not how the season was supposed to end for the Grizzlies.
In control of their playoff fate when the season was suspended in mid-March and eventually restarted in Orlando, Memphis would fall just short of reaching the playoffs.
While there is disappointment in how the season ended, the Grizzlies have a strong young foundation led by likely Rookie of the Year winner Ja Morant.
How the Grizzlies take the next step will depend on health.
Jaren Jackson Jr.,Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow failed to finish the season this year, Jackson for the second time in his short career.
Let's look ahead to the draft, free agency and trade questions facing the Grizzlies this season.
MORE: Biggest trade, free agency and draft decisions for every eliminated NBA team
Note: The financials in here are based on the salary cap and luxury tax holding at the 2019-20 levels, as expected.
Developing the youthful roster
The Grizzlies exceeded expectations this season, a fact that might get lost because of the disappointing end. But before the start of the year, Memphis was projected to finish last in the Western Conference with 32 wins and only a 2% chance of reaching the postseason. The Grizzlies reached that win total before the season was stopped in mid-March.
That might put unfair expectations on the Grizzlies going forward -- expectations that they'll duplicate the success from this season and take the next step. The Western Conference is tough competition. For instance, reaching the playoffs becomes more difficult if Golden State is back at full strength. Unlike the Eastern Conference, the West might have all 15 teams in competition for eight spots.
Memphis can hang its hat on continuity and upside:
For the first time since 2017-18, Memphis should have the same head coach -- Taylor Jenkins -- that finished the previous season on the sidelines.
Memphis has 12 players under contract and returns the third youngest roster in the NBA.
The Grizzlies have a potential franchise player in Rookie of the Year Morant. The point guard still has three years left on his rookie scale contract.
The starting five of Morant, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, Jackson and Jonas Valanciunas are under contract through at a minimum the 2021-22 season.
Brandon Clarke is a likely All-Rookie First-Team selection.
Winslow and Jones should be contributors next season upon returning to health.
Health will be a deciding factor. Jackson is rehabbing after a torn left meniscus he suffered against the Pelicans in Orlando. At the time of the injury, Jackson was averaging 17.4 points. Before the recent injury, Jackson had already missed 34 games in his first two seasons.
Winslow has played 78, 18, 68, 66 and 11 games in his first five seasons. In total, the forward has missed 154 games because of injury and was ruled out of the seeding games with a hip injury that occurred in practice.
Hitting singles and doubles in the offseason
The Grizzlies' offseason essentially began in February. Memphis extended shooting guard Brooks to a three-year, $35 million contract and acquired Winslow and Gorgui Dieng in two trades.
The three transactions, along with taking on the $12.7 million dead salary of Dion Waiters, eliminated the Grizzlies from the potential of having cap space (Memphis was projected to have close to $50 million) this summer.
In theory the Grizzlies valued the potential of Winslow and his contract (he is signed through 2022-23) vs. cap flexibility (eliminated by taking back $30 million owed to Waiters and Dieng) given the possibility of overpaying in a mediocre free-agent market.
Entering the offseason, Memphis has the below options to fill in the 3-to-4 open roster spots.
De'Anthony Melton and Josh Jackson
The acquisition of Melton and Jackson from Phoenix (in exchange for Kyle Korver and Jevon Carter) was a low-risk move that benefited the Grizzlies.
Melton is one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA and had the best on/off differential (per Cleaning the Glass) on the roster. He also averaged 2.5 deflections in only 19.5 minutes per game. Melton is a restricted free agent (the Grizzlies can match an offer) and has established early Bird rights. The Grizzlies can sign him up to a four-year contract and a starting salary of 105% of the average player salary (projected to be $8-10 million). A contract for Melton should be in the three-year, $18 million ($6 million per year) range.
After two tumultuous seasons in Phoenix, Jackson has bought into the Grizzlies' philosophy. The former No. 4 overall pick spent four months in the G-League before he was recalled in late January. In 22 games, the 23-year old averaged 9 points on 44% from the field. But in the seeding games in Orlando, Jackson was not part of the rotation and appeared in only four games. Because the fourth year in his rookie scale contract was declined, a contract to remain in Memphis cannot exceed $8.9 million.
The $9.3 million midlevel exception
If the luxury tax is at $132.7 million, the direction Memphis goes with Melton and Jackson will determine how much of the midlevel exception is available. If the salaries for both players start at $5 million, the Grizzlies will have $8.7 million of the exception to use and stay below the tax threshold.
Free agents who would provide bench depth include E'Twaun Moore, Alec Burks, Pat Connaughton, Maurice Harkless and Derrick Jones Jr.
Offseason cap breakdown
Memphis will have a careful eye on how the league sets the luxury tax for 2020-21.
If the tax stays at $132.7 million, the Grizzlies will have $18.7 million to divide up between Josh Jackson and Melton and sign a free agent to the midlevel exception.
The Grizzlies do not have the biannual exception available.
The team has seven trade exceptions ranging from $4.8 million to $1.6 million.
Depth chart
The resources available to build the roster
The draft: Second-round pick from Phoenix
$5.6 million to send out and $3.6 million to receive in a trade
Future draft assets: 2022 first from Utah and 2024 first from Golden State
Exceptions: $9.3 million midlevel and $3.6 million biannual
Dates to watch
When Memphis signed Jontay Porter to a two-year contract, they did so with an eye toward 2020-21. Porter has continued to rehab from a torn ACL and did not step on the floor this season. Because Memphis could sign him for no more than two seasons, both sides agreed to a $1.5 million team option for 2020-21. The cap mechanics of declining the team option by Oct. 17 will allow Memphis to sign Porter to a contract up to four seasons since he has established non-Bird rights.
Expect the Grizzlies to tender Melton a one-year $1.9 million qualifying offer by Oct. 17.
Restrictions
Because the fourth-year team option on Josh Jackson was declined last year, Memphis is restricted when it comes to a new contract. Jackson can sign for no more than $8,930,242 -- the amount of the 2020-21 option year that was declined.
Memphis received $2 million from Golden State in the Andre Iguodala trade and can receive only $3.6 million in a trade. The full amount of cash they can receive in a trade will replenish on Oct. 19.
Anderson has a 15% trade bonus in his contract valued at $2.9 million. If Anderson is traded before Oct. 19, $972,000 will be applied to the remaining three years of his contract. A trade that occurs after Oct. 23 would see $1.4 million included in his salary for 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Extension candidates
Dieng, Winslow and Anderson are extension eligible. The three players are not expected to receive new contracts.
The draft assets
The Grizzlies will send Boston their first-round pick if it falls outside of the top six.
If Memphis does retain the first this season, the Grizzlies will send Boston an unprotected first in 2021.
Here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have Memphis selecting in October:
No. 40 (via PHX): Xavier Tillman | C | Michigan State
Memphis has two future first-round picks acquired last offseason:
The Grizzlies will receive the Jazz's first in 2021 if it falls between 8-14. The first will convey to 2022 (top-7 protected) and 2023 (top-3 protected). Memphis will receive a Utah second in 2025 and 2026 if the pick does not transfer.
In 2024, Golden State will send the Grizzlies a first (top-4 protected).
The first has protection in 2025 (top-1) and is unprotected in 2026.