Memphis Grizzlies
In a season where they were projected to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies shocked everyone and were right in the thick of things in the Orlando Bubble. Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant and second-year rising star, Jaren Jackson Jr. were fantastic together last season and even though Jackson went down with a torn meniscus during the NBA seeding games, Morant carried the team to a play-in game in the Western Conference Playoffs, where they ultimately fell to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Last season proved to the entire Grizzlies organization that they are well ahead of schedule on their rebuild process and thanks in large part to Ja Morant, who has the makings of an NBA superstar as he continues to grow.
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies have been without Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. for a large chunk of time as their reigning Rookie of the Year suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain a few weeks back and Jackson Jr. is still recovering from his knee injury. In order for this team to reach its full potential, they need to surround their young players with some established role players.
Al Horford could be a great addition to this team, especially given the young player in the frontcourt. Brandon Clarke has the potential to be a really solid role player for years to come and when healthy, Jaren Jackson Jr. is a young star, but that’s the key phrase: “when healthy.”
In his first two seasons in the NBA, Jaren Jackson Jr. has missed a solid amount of time due to injuries and with Clarke still growing as a player, the Grizzlies have no other reliable players to turn to in their frontcourt outside of Jonas Valanciunas.
Given that the Grizzlies are one of the younger teams in the league, bringing in an established and proven veteran talent like Al Horford could help this team in numerous aspects. Horford is a natural leader and given his experiences in the league, he could prove to be a valuable mentor to some of the young players on this roster.
For a young team that is on the verge of making it to the playoffs, trading a first-round pick and an expiring contract to bring in a guy like Al Horford from the OKC Thunder could really go a long way in the future success of the Memphis Grizzlies.
