The Memphis Grizzlies entered the 2025-26 season with elevated expectations.
They won 48 games last season, securing the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. It was a 21-win improvement from the previous year, signaling that the franchise was headed back in the right direction.
In September 2025, former Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, a member of the 56-win 2012–13 team, appeared on the Out the Mud podcast, hosted by former teammates Tony Allen and Zach Randolph. During the interview, Gay suggested that the 2012–13 squad could have won a championship if he had not been traded early in the season.
His comments highlighted the long-standing belief that Memphis once possessed a championship-level core built on stability and chemistry.
That sense of stability from a decade ago feels long-gone for Memphis fans. The Grizzlies, after multiple years of dipping in and out of the playoffs, have been an emotional roller coaster. They’ll need to rediscover that stability to become a championship threat once again.
On-Court Instability
It starts at the top with the franchise star, Ja Morant. In November, he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, creating early disruption.
Injuries have since played a significant role in the team’s struggles. As of February, Morant is sidelined with an elbow injury. Second-year center Zach Edey has appeared in just 11 games this year, and Scotty Pippen Jr. has played in just five while nursing a toe injury.
There is an old saying that the greatest ability is availability, and that has proven true for Memphis this season. Injuries are unavoidable and uncontrollable, yet they remain the team’s biggest obstacle.
The lack of veteran leadership has also affected the Grizzlies, as the roster includes only six players with at least six seasons of NBA experience.
Hitting the Reset Button
The Grizzlies now find themselves at a crossroads on how to treat the roster moving forward. On one hand, they still have proven veterans and an established star in Morant. On the other hand, they have three promising young players in Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and Cam Spencer. All three were selected to participate in the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend.
At the trade deadline, the organization decided to move on from Jaren Jackson Jr., making way for a shift in more responsibility to its emerging core.
It begs the question: how far will the front office go in its reset? The Grizzlies may look to trade away Morant as well in the near future. If losses continue to pile up, Memphis could be in position for a top 8 lottery pick in what is projected to be a deep draft class in June. That scenario could reshape the franchise’s long-term direction.
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo took over during the final stretch of last season and won four of his first nine games. He deserves the opportunity to evaluate what this team can accomplish when fully healthy. As the season enters its final two months, Iisalo will focus on developing the young core, a potential top-10 draft pick, and managing the recent roster changes made at the trade deadline.
Ups and Downs in Memphis
Over the past seven seasons, the Grizzlies have experienced significant fluctuation rather than sustained stability. During that span, the team recorded three seasons with at least 45 wins and three with fewer than 35.
Their best season came during Morant’s second year, when Memphis tied a franchise record with 56 wins.
The organization is striving to return to the consistency it displayed from 2009 to 2017, when it won at least 40 games in four seasons and recorded three consecutive 50-win seasons from 2012 to 2015. That era established a strong identity and earned league-wide respect.
While some fans believe it may be time to move on from Morant, he is not the core issue in Memphis. The true challenge lies in persistent injuries and organizational instability.
Until the Grizzlies can remain healthy and establish continuity, sustained success will remain difficult to achieve.
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