Southwest Division
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are another team like the Phoenix Suns who have had huge turnover this offseason, which also like Phoenix, makes them a difficult team to pin down.
Consider that in trades alone they added Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Solomon Hill, Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Josh Jackson, De’Anthony Melton, and Miles Plumlee.
They then also added Tyus Jones through free agency to help Ja Morant grow in his first season.
Take into account too all the players lost, specifically Avery Bradley, Mike Conley, C.J. Miles, and Chandler Parsons, and this is a brand new roster from head-to-toe.
How good will they be? I am not sure, but the old roster won 33 games so at least somewhere around there.
That said, with how brand new the Grizzlies are from top-to-bottom, and being that aside from possibly Morant, Memphis did not add a true impact player, they are going to be beatable by a Phoenix Suns team that is far more veteran-laden than in years past (including Booker and even Ayton and Mikal Bridges who all now have at least one full season of experience under their belts).
The two teams met just three times last season so I will base my prediction on that number and say that the Suns and Grizzlies flip from Memphis’ 2-1 series win last season.
However, if they play four times, I’ll call for a 3-1 Suns series win.