Despite boasting a regular-season profile traditionally held by a legitimate title contender—56 wins after a preseason over/under of 41.5, plus a top-five offense, defense and net rating—no team as young and seemingly top heavy as the 2021–22 Grizzlies ever actually won it all.
NBA champions are typically battle tested, with at least two stars supported by a wealth of experience. Memphis, though, is the league’s fourth-youngest team. A majority of the Grizzlies’ rotation is currently competing in just their third playoff series. Their two oldest players, Steven Adams and Kyle Anderson, are only 28, while 22-year-old Ja Morant is their lone All-Star.
Since the merger, the 1977 Trail Blazers are probably the closest parallel that actually went on to win a title. They were the second-youngest team in the league that year, coming off a season in which they didn’t even make the playoffs. But in addition to having a third-year megastar in Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas technically gave them a second All-Star. The '79 Seattle SuperSonics are another possible comparison. They were led by two young guards (Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams; neither made All-NBA and only Johnson was an All-Star). However, they were the 15th-oldest team in a 22-franchise league.
Fast forward through two and a half decades primarily dominated by the Celtics, Lakers, Pistons, Bulls and Spurs, and then we get to the 2006 Heat. Dwyane Wade, like Morant, was their third-year catalyst and best player who led them to a championship by mercilessly attacking the rim and drawing a number of fouls people in Dallas still don’t believe ever happened. Those Heat were also blessed by Shaquille O’Neal’s swan song. They were old. Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, O’Neal and Jason Williams were all on the wrong side of 30. Their head coach was Pat freaking Riley.
Skip ahead 10 years and we come to another champion these Grizzlies can kinda, sorta see in themselves: their current opponent. But in 2015, Stephen Curry, the league MVP, was in his sixth season. They had veterans and journeymen all over their roster: Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa and David Lee.
Before Morant suffered a bone bruise in his knee that’s likely to end his season, Memphis had a chance to set a new precedent by accomplishing something no team that looked like them ever had. Down 3–1 in Round 2 after a gritty three-point loss in Game 4 (without Morant) against the core pieces of a generational dynasty, Memphis has to beat Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson three straight times to keep their dream alive.
Morant’s injury all but guarantees that won’t happen. But their run up until then foreshadows something great down the line, assuming they’re able to stay together and sustain some of the critical characteristics that most young teams never discover—or take several more years to learn.
