The Memphis Grizzlies' long and stirring season came to an end after falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the first round of the NBA playoffs.
For Memphis, it was a season that looked so promising at times, as the team had a realistic expectation to come out of the Western Conference. However, the season was also clouded by controversy, as star point guard Ja Morant was dealt an eight-game suspension in March, and forward Dillon Brooks was frequently at the center of altercations, both verbal and physical, with opposing players.
Now the front office will have to decide which course to take after a disappointing first-round loss, and how to put the team in the best chance to succeed moving forward.
Offseason guides for every eliminated team
State of the roster
There is a long line of teams wishing Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. were on their roster. Who wouldn't want three of the top players under the age of 25 to build around? The makeup of their young core is a reason why the Grizzlies ranked No. 1 in the Future Power Rankings before the season started.
But as we learned this season and playoffs, individual talent means nothing if there is no buy-in and sacrifice from each player.
If Memphis wants to take the next step, there has to be trust, discipline and maturation in the locker room. If not, the window to compete for a championship will close and the Grizzlies will become one of the great "what if" teams in recent memory.
As for the roster, Memphis returns 13 players and has three draft picks in June, the $12.2 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and control of its own first-round pick in future years.The big question is if Dillon Brooks will be rewarded with a new contract or if the Grizzlies go in a different direction. The big question is how does Memphis replace free agent Dillon Brooks?
Offseason finances
Morant's rookie max extension begins this season, but the Grizzlies are still $20 million below the luxury tax threshold even accounting for the cap hold on their first-round pick. However, the tax flexibility could decrease by $7 million if Morant is named to an All-NBA team (the requirement to play 65 games to qualify doesn't kick in until next season).
The last time Memphis was a tax team was 2005-06, and it has never paid a tax penalty under owner Robert Pera. The Grizzlies have until June 27 to exercise Xavier Tillman's $1.9 million team option.
Top front-office priority
The free agency of Brooks is one of the most polarizing negotiations this offseason. On one end the forward is one the top defensive players and should be rewarded with a lucrative contract. Brooks held 2022-23 All-Stars to a 46% effective field goal percentage this season, the lowest allowed among 72 players to match up at least 500 times with All-Stars according to Second Spectrum tracking.
On the other side, Brooks is a liability on the offense and with his antics on the court. During the regular season, Brooks shot 34% on jumpers, ranking 62nd among 66 players with at least 500 attempts.
Brooks shot 36% on wide-open jumpers (when the closest defender is at least 6 feet away) per Second Spectrum. That ranked 44th among 46 players with at least 200 attempts. Since entering the NBA in 2017, Brooks has racked up 58 technical fouls, including a league-high 18 this season, and been ejected five times.
Brooks is eligible to sign a four-year, $61 million extension prior to July 1 and will be an unrestricted free agent after that. Not bringing Brooks back leaves the Grizzlies with former first round picks Ziaire Williams and David Roddy as options to replace him, or they could use their midlevel exception. The Grizzlies are likely not inclined to bring Brooks back, leaving a gaping hole at small forward. Memphis has former first round picks Ziaire Williams and David Roddy as options to replace him, or they could use their $12.2 million non-tax midlevel exception. Williams started 31 games as a rookie in place of Brooks, but dealt with various injuries this season.
The Grizzlies could also do a sign-and-trade to get back assets rather than letting Brooks walk, but Brooks would have to agree and his new contract would have to be at least three years (though only the first year has to be guaranteed).
Extension candidate to watch
Six of the 15 players on the Grizzlies roster have been extended in the past three years, with Bane and Tillman possibly joining that group this summer.
Bane averaged a career-high 21.5 points per game this season, shot 47.9% from the field and shot greater than 40% from 3 for a third straight season. Bane ranked fourth in 3-point field goal percentage when going off the dribble among 47 players with at least 150 attempts.
Last season, he was first in this same category by a significant margin. His next contract should start in the $27 million-to-$28 million range, comparable to the extensions Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole signed in October.
The Grizzlies are in a unique spot with Tillman because he has a $1.8 million team option. If the option is exercised, Tillman will be on a team-friendly salary but will become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. The two sides could work out an extension that cannot exceed four years and $71 million.
If the option is declined, Tillman would become a restricted free agent and Memphis would have the right to match an offer sheet. However, doing that and bringing Brooks back could put the Grizzlies into the luxury tax.
Team Needs: Shooting. The Grizzlies took the 11th-most 3-point attempts in the league this season, but even with Morant and Bane in the backcourt, Memphis finished the regular season 23rd in 3-point percentage.
Draft picks in June: Nos. 25, 45 (via MIN), 56
Future draft assets: Memphis controls its own first in future seasons and is also owed a first-round pick from Golden State. The pick is top-four protected in 2024, top-one in 2025 and unprotected in 2026. The Grizzlies have four future second-round picks available to trade.