5 lineups I want to see the Grizzlies run next season
The Memphis Grizzlies have shuffled the deck, opening the door for Taylor Jenkins to test out some lineup combinations.
The Memphis Grizzlies make this exercise fun just about every season. For the 3rd consecutive summer, the team will be moving on from 2 rotation players — as Tyus Jones lands a starting job in Washington, and Dillon Brooks secures the bag in Houston. Only the case for the 2nd time in the past 3 offseasons, they will have a new veteran starter enter the mix with Marcus Smart coming to town.
Movement aside, leaps from the previous year shake up the hierarchy a bit to open up new lineup combinations, or ones we want to see. Unfortunately, for the 3rd time in 4 years, the Grizzlies will have a key rotation player start the season on the inactive report — as Brandon Clarke is still recovering an achilles injury, and Ja Morant will be out for the first 25 games due to his suspension. As we’ve seen the last few years, it opens up opportunities for someone to step up and fill a big void early.
With all these factors, Taylor Jenkins and the coaching staff have their hands full, looking to work with several lineup combinations to find their ideal rotation for a new-look roster.
Before I dive in, I’ll share some of my favorites from X (yes, was weird to say X instead of Twitter).
1) The obvious
Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way: the new starting lineup.
I was originally going to omit this and roll with staggered lineups, but with the new starting lineup, there are some dynamics to unpack here.
Any sort of concern with this lineup comes with the size of the 1-3. Morant and Smart are roughly 6’3”, while Bane is listed at 6’5”. It’s not the most ideal size on the perimeter, as skeptics may worry about it in regards to stopping big wings.
There are reasons to believe it can be alleviated though. The biggest one revolves around Marcus Smart. Any concern of size should be rebutted with Smart’s resume. He’s a former Defensive Player of the Year that has guarded anyone from Kyrie Irving, to Kevin Durant, to Giannis Antetokounmpo, to Joel Embiid. His physicality, toughness, length (6’9” wingspan), and defensive event creation allow him to take on just about any matchup in the league.
The second one is who shares the frontcourt with them. These 3 will be flanked by two 7-footers. Jaren Jackson Jr., the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, can cover so much space as a switcher and rim roamer — while Steven Adams imposes his will inside with rock-solid paint protection and elite rebounding.
The offensive intrigue revolves around the replacement of Dillon Brooks with Marcus Smart. They will get comparable shooting — at least in the regular season — but Smart’s playmaking ability opens up more dynamics for the Grizzlies’ offense. He can attack closeouts and capitalize off advantages when the defense helps. He can initiate the offense and allow Ja Morant and Desmond Bane to operate off the ball.
I’m enamored about what the Big 3 of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane can do when complemented by Smart’s playmaking and Adams’ screening. It has the ingredients to flow really well.
Let’s hope it does, because the Grizzlies will go as far as these 5 players will take them.
2) The small sample intrigue
Ja Morant, Luke Kennard, Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama, Jaren Jackson Jr.
Last season: 148.1 OTRG, 120.8 DRTG, +27.3 NET rating in 27 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass
This lineup is simply the “let’s score as many points as possible” unit.
Defensively, Jackson does have to cover a ton. Morant and Kennard aren’t great defenders. Aldama can protect the rim via help defense, but has his woes as a defender. Bane defends at a solid level. You could see in the minimal sample size that defense would be an issue.
However, for just a few minutes a night, the offensive potential with this unit is off the charts.
Surrounded by Bane, Kennard, and Aldama — and even Jackson, if they wanted a pure 5-out set, Morant has the entire floor to work with. Jackson also has room to work in the post or from the elbows.
It’s a compelling “pick your poison”: go 1-on-1 with either Morant or Jackson getting downhill. If the defense shows help, then they’re leaving 2 elite shooters and a stretch big open from downtown. If the defense has to scramble, then there’s even more room for drives off closeouts.
Defensive limitations may hinder it from getting a ton of minutes, but the offense alone makes it worth exploring. It can be a dynamite for this team, even for just 5 minutes a game.
3) Space the floor with your best shooters
Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia, Jaren Jackson Jr.
If you asked anybody — likely both inside and outside the organization — who are the Grizzlies’ 3-best shooters, they’d likely say Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, and Jake LaRavia.
Their skillsets and positional archetypes align for them to share the floor together, and the Grizzlies should consider this as a frequent staggering lineup.
Having Smart and Jackson on the floor with them heavily supports the defense, but it’s not disastrous with those 3 shooters on defense. Bane is a solid secondary defender, LaRavia generates defensive events, and Kennard holds his own better than advertised.
Jackson and Smart more so amplify the potential firepower of this unit with their defense. On the other side, Smart can leverage his rim pressure to draw drive-and-kick’s, a staple of his playmaking with Boston. Jackson also has room to operate inside the arc. Bane, Kennard, and LaRavia can also capitalize on closeouts to generate better shots with their playmaking.
For Grizzlies faithful that have yearned for the day the team has ample shooting, this is the lineup for you.
4) Fly high
Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama, Steven Adams
The floor spacing here could be dire any given night, but there’s intriguing electricity here.
Without Clarke, Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama are the team’s 2-best lob threats. Then, there’s lob-throwing and lob-catching extraordinaire Ja Morant that could raise the roof with his pizzazz and aerial presence any time and any place. Marcus Smart and Steven Adams know how to thread the needle and find cutters on their way to the basket.
Defensively, it’s one of the better combinations they could deploy without Jackson on the floor. The size in the frontcourt should be an asset here, and Williams can defend guards, too. This unit could allow Morant to serve as a free safety and hop into passing lanes to generate cycles.
This lineup is a wild card — mainly due to Williams — but this combination could be a fun one that turns defense into offense, and could generate some highlight reel material.
5) Switch it up
Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, David Roddy, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman
Taylor Jenkins wants the Grizzlies to switch more with Jackson and Smart, and this unit is its most switchable combination. You could slot Williams in for Roddy, but the latter’s ability to defend bigger, more physical players is my rationale here.
You could argue that this unit can switch everything. Roddy is the real wild card here, as his defensive improvements in year 2 will be intriguing to monitor next season.
Offensively, Bane, Smart, and Jackson should buoy the offense. Tillman and Roddy’s shooting projections this year could either amplify or cramp the flow of the offense.
Nonetheless, the defensive potential and versatility are fascinating, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jenkins give this one a couple tries.
Honorable Mentions
“I wish I can see this healthy.” Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, Jaren Jackson Jr.
Gosh, it’s such a shame Brandon Clarke is hurt. He’s such a cool role player that can leave a resounding impact with this team. The Clarke-Jackson duo crushes people, and his presence as a roller makes for a killer pick-and-roll combination with Morant. The starters + Clarke lineup has dominated opponents — sporting a NET rating of greater than 24 each of the past 2 seasons, including a +35.6 NET rating in the 2022 playoffs. I hope we can see the formula here soon with Marcus Smart. It’s a fascinating lineup that could close a ton of big moments. Continued best wishes to Brandon Clarke on his recovery process.
“If you want to play Junior…” Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Kenneth Lofton Jr., Jaren Jackson Jr.
Kenneth Lofton Jr.’s play has left a huge impression in Memphis, leading to locking in a long-term deal on the main roster. His Summer League performance shows he’s not stopping now; he’s gunning for minutes now. If he does get minutes, the best combination next to him is with 4 other starters. Jackson and Smart provide the defense to cover up Junior’s shortcomings there, especially the former with his rim protection. Morant, Smart, and Bane are great playmakers that can help set Lofton up for easy shots. Though he won’t start, this group is the best path for Lofton to flourish while getting his feet wet with NBA minutes.
“Let’s just get every rebound.” Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, John Konchar, David Roddy, Steven Adams
I’m just enamored with the chaos this unit could create. Smart and Bane can co-pilot playmaking duties. Adams and Konchar will make sure no one on the opposing side gets a rebound. Smart, Bane, and Roddy could utilize their physical frame to muscle their way to their spots downhill. It may not be the flashiest lineup, but this is a unit that’d thrive doing the dirty work.
“If you want to see Ja and Rose on the floor together.” Ja Morant, Derrick Rose, Ziaire Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams
Grizzlies fans will want to see Ja and Rose on the floor together. It’s rather unlikely, but if it does happen, they’ll need size and defense alongside them. Williams could be swapped with LaRavia for extra shooting, though the former is better equipped for stopping. Adams setting screens for either Ja or Rose could set up a show. I’m sure if there’s a moment Ja Morant and Derrick Rose share the floor together, it’ll be a cool time for Memphis basketball fans.
What are some lineups you want to see from the Memphis Grizzlies this year?
All September, for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, anyone that subscribes or refers a friend to SubTsakalidis will be entered to win 2 tickets to the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets game on Friday October 27th. All proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.