The Post-Morant Gamble: Why Memphis' Rebuild Might Be the West's Quietest Surprise

The Memphis Grizzlies' era of Ja Morant officially closed this summer when the two-time All-Star was shipped to Portland — the final chapter in a teardown that began quietly a year ago. Once the centerpiece of a young, ascending Western Conference contender, Morant now patrols the Rose City, and Memphis is left holding a stockpile of picks, a trio of intriguing veterans, and one very exciting rookie.

The most compelling story of this week isn't just that the Grizzlies lost their superstar. It's the question buzzing around the league: after all that shedding, can this new-look group actually shake up the West sooner than anyone expects?

The rebuild has been methodical. Memphis dealt Desmond Bane to Orlando last summer for four first-round picks. At February's deadline, the Grizzlies sent former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah — a clear signal the front office wasn't going to linger in mediocrity. Then came the Morant trade to Portland, and with it, full commitment to the youth movement.

The centerpiece of that movement is Cam Boozer, the No. 3 overall pick out of Duke. Boozer has been generating serious buzz since summer league, and he opened the upcoming season as a co-favorite in Rookie of the Year odds alongside fellow top picks. Analysts see a natural fit alongside 7'4" Zach Edey in the frontcourt. Edey — who averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game as a rookie — provides the rim pressure that could unlock Boozer's passing and scoring instincts.

There are legitimate perimeter questions. Memphis needs to determine whether Ty Jerome's breakout from last season is sustainable and whether Scotty Pippen Jr. fits into the long-term backcourt picture alongside the incoming rookies. But the rotation has pace, size, and multiple scoring threats — enough for the Grizzlies to be a pain in the neck on any given night.

The market isn't expecting much. Memphis' win total has been set at 28.5 for the season, with long-shot championship odds that reflect a franchise in the lottery conversation. And the Southwest Division has gotten tougher — the West remains a gauntlet.

Yet there's a path. The early schedule brings Utah to Memphis on Oct. 22 before a road swing that includes Golden State, Sacramento, and a highly anticipated Oct. 30 visit to Portland — Morant's first game against his former club. Circle the return leg, too: whenever the Blazers visit FedExForum, the "welcome back" narrative will be unavoidable, and Memphis will want to make a statement.

The realistic read on this season is patience. The Grizzlies aren't a playoff team on paper, and nobody in Tennessee is penciling in a deep run. But the defining storyline of the week — and of the entire preseason — is whether Boozer can accelerate the timeline enough to have Memphis back in the Western Conference conversation by next year.

If his early imprint is any indication — and if Edey stays healthy — the post-Morant Grizzlies might be the most intriguing rebuild nobody outside the city is talking about yet. That's exactly the kind of team that tends to make the West a little less predictable.