Quietly losing 4 games in a row! The boss and second player are both injured. The craziest team in the West has fallen. It’s better to rebuild as soon as possible.

When the NBA preseason games came to an end, the team that was once the craziest team in the Western Conference handed over a dazzling and heartbreaking report card - they lost all 4 preseason games, with a total net loss of 69 points. From the 16-point defeat in the first game, to the 18-point defeat against the Celtics, to the loss to the Hawks, and the final 29-point defeat to the Hornets, this team that had been ranked among the top three in the Western Conference for two consecutive seasons now seems to have had all its soul taken away, leaving only a broken "arrogance". What's even more fatal is that the two core members of the team are either injured or trapped. The slogan of "championship" that was once shouted has become a joke. There is only one road left in front of the Grizzlies: rebuild as soon as possible.

The preseason became a "pillar of shame": a 4-game losing streak with a net loss of 69 points, and the chain reaction of the collective collapse of the inside line

Who would have thought that the Grizzlies, who were still among the top ten in the league in offensive and defensive efficiency last season, would become a "cash machine" in the preseason in just a few months? You know, last season there were only five teams in the top ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency in the league. The Cavaliers and Celtics in the East, and the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies in the West. Being able to be tied with these strong teams is enough to prove the Grizzlies' hard power. But their performance in the preseason has completely separated them from the "strong team echelon".

The game against the Hornets had high hopes. After all, this was Jaren Jackson Jr.'s first show back from injury. The team hoped that he could carry the banner inside. But reality gave the Grizzlies a resounding slap: Jaren Jr. made only 7 of 20 shots and scored 17 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block. It seemed that he had statistics, but he caused the team to lose a net loss of 18 points during his time on the court. This is clearly not a core comeback playbook.

Jalen Jr.'s struggle is just a microcosm of the Grizzlies' interior disaster. As early as half a month ago in the training camp, the Grizzlies' injury report was shocking: Jaren Jr. had just completed plantar fasciitis repair surgery in July and would be sidelined for at least 4-6 weeks; rising star Zach Eadie had to wait until the start of the regular season to return to the team due to left ankle surgery; even Clark, the only remaining backup inside option, suffered from synovitis in his right knee joint again and could not be re-examined until November at the earliest. The collective collapse of the three major insiders turned the Grizzlies' penalty area into an "undefended area" - in the four preseason games, the opponents accounted for more than 50% of the Grizzlies' inside points and were 12 rebounds behind. With such inside strength, it is difficult to even have a foothold in the playoffs, let alone the playoffs.

What’s even more ironic is that the Grizzlies were able to break into the playoffs last season by relying on the resilience of “who can play, who can play”, but now even “getting the rotation together” has become a problem. Although young players such as GG Jackson, Pippen Jr. and Aldama are growing, in the brutal competition in the Western Conference, they cannot support the team's lower limit, let alone the upper limit. The four-game losing streak in the preseason is not an accident, but the inevitable result of the team's strength gap.

The dilemma of the two "boss": the "pseudo core" with a high-paying contract extension, the "problem leader" suffering from injuries

The collapse of the Grizzlies cannot avoid the dilemma of the two cores-Jalen Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. These two people were originally the cornerstones of the team's "dual-core drive", but now they have become the "burden" that brings the team down. Let’s look at Jaren Jackson Jr. during the offseason. The Grizzlies did not hesitate to give him a super maximum salary of 240 million for five years. Starting from next season, the annual salaries of this contract will be 35 million, 49 million, 50.5 million, 52 million, and 53.5 million respectively - a proper "league top salary level" treatment. The reason why the team is willing to spend money is because he has the resume of the best defensive team, DPOY, block leader and All-Star. The management even wants to make him the "next Anthony Davis". But it turned out that this expectation was unrealistic from the beginning.

Jalen Jr. is now 26 years old and in his prime as a player, but his injury risks are like a "ticking time bomb." Plantar fasciitis is a stubborn disease for inside players. Once repeated, it will affect the speed of movement and explosive power of take-off; and his offensive ability is far inferior to that of thick eyebrows - Jaren Jr. averaged 21.5 points per game last season, which seems good, but his true shooting percentage is only 54.2%, and his scoring efficiency at critical moments ranks in the middle and lower reaches of the league. Compared with the "offensive and defensive integration + critical moment carry" with thick eyebrows, Jaren is not even a little bit worse. What's even more terrible is that this maximum salary contract will occupy more than 35% of the team's salary space in the future. Once he continues to be injured or his condition declines, the Grizzlies will fall into the embarrassment of "wanting to trade but no one wants him", just like John Wall back then.

If Jaren Jr. is the hidden danger of "high salary and low energy", then Morant is the direct cause of the Grizzlies' "fall from the clouds". As the team's former absolute leader, Morant's situation is now extremely embarrassing: After leading the Grizzlies to achieve an outstanding record, Morant immediately drifted away, bluntly saying that the Western Conference is invincible. After that, there were constant disputes off the court. From gun incidents to illegal live broadcasts, the league issued multiple warnings and penalties, which not only ruined the team's image. The elephant has disrupted the team's training rhythm; and injuries have caused his competitive status to continue to decline - ankle and hip injuries have plagued him for 4 seasons. His "dunking to the basket + change of direction breakthrough" style of play is extremely taxing on the ankles and lower back, and now even the timetable for his comeback cannot be determined.

What’s even more fatal is that the relationship between Morant and the team has already cracked. He currently has three years left on his contract and would have been eligible to sign a two-year, $128.4 million maximum salary extension in advance, but the Grizzlies management has yet to express its stance. In desperation, Morant fired his agent team and chose to negotiate with the team in person. However, local media in Memphis revealed that the team has no intention of renewing the contract for the time being. There are two core concerns: one is Morant's injury risk, and the other is that the team's future team building direction has been shaken. Two years ago, Morant was still known as the "Third Young Master of the Western Conference" along with Alexander of the Thunder and Edwards of the Timberwolves. But now, under great pressure, he has led the team to win the championship, and Edwards has led the team to the Western Conference Finals. Morant is no longer worthy of eating at the same table with them. In addition, his transaction value has also shrunk significantly - 120 million in salary over three years is not low. If he cannot stay healthy, potential buyers will avoid him..

The offseason operation of "self-destructing the Great Wall": sending away the "lower limit support" and blindly betting on the future.

The Grizzlies' current predicament is not only a core problem, but also the consequences of a series of "mysterious operations" during the offseason. The management seems to be "hoarding future assets", but in fact it is "self-destroying the Great Wall". The most incomprehensible operation is sending Bain away. In the past two seasons, the Grizzlies have been plagued by injuries and Morant has been absent many times. It is Bane who has carried the team's offensive banner. Last season, he averaged 18.2 points per game and shot 40.8% from three-point range. He is not only the team's second scoring point, but also the stabilizer of the locker room. Fans call him "the Grizzlies' lower limit support." With him, the team can at least guarantee a playoff spot. But in the offseason, the Grizzlies sent him away in exchange for four first-round picks and a swap right.

The management’s idea is simple: exchange immediate combat power for future assets to prepare for reconstruction. But they ignored a key question: without Bane, who would protect the team? The answer has already been given in the preseason: young players can't stand up, and the core is in a sluggish state. Even "winning a game" has become a luxury for the team. Compared with the Thunder, which also has "young players" as its core, they retained Alexander while constantly strengthening role players to stay at the forefront of the Western Conference. The Grizzlies sending away Bane is equivalent to cutting off their "right-hand man", leaving only a bunch of "future draft picks", but losing their current competitiveness.

A more blind operation is to give Jaren Jr. a super maximum salary. The Grizzlies management obviously made the mistake of "the more they watch their own children, the better they get." Just like the Heat did with Adebayor, but Adebayor can support the Heat's interior defense and support the organization, but Jaren Jr. only has the advantage of the defensive end, and the stability of the offensive end is far less than the former. This maximum salary contract is likely to become a "junk contract" in the future, restricting the team's room for reinforcement.

Even in their draft operations, the Grizzlies are "short-sighted." In order to select No. 11 pick Coward during the offseason, they gave the Trail Blazers a first-round pick in 2028, and the Trail Blazers used this pick to select Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick. Now Yang Hansen has shown good inside potential in the preseason. On the other hand, Coward averaged only 6.3 points per game in the preseason and has not yet proven his worth. This kind of "draft trade" is more like a loss-making deal.

Rebuilding as early as possible is the way out: With 10 first-round picks in hand, don't waste time anymore

Today's Grizzlies have reached the point where "you can't build without breaking." The US media predicts that they can only reach the play-off level in the new season. Take a look at the competition in the Western Conference: the Clippers, Nuggets, Rockets, Timberwolves, Lakers, and Thunder are all six teams that have the potential to win the championship. Even the Pelicans and Mavericks are eyeing it. It will be extremely difficult for the Grizzlies to squeeze into the play-offs. Not to mention, they still have to face core injuries and role player gaps - continuing to persist will only waste time and delay the growth of young players.

In fact, the Grizzlies hold "good cards for reconstruction": they currently have 10 first-round picks available, and 8 first-round swap rights. This kind of draft asset reserve can rank among the top three in the entire league. You know, the Thunder relied on a large number of first-round picks and selected core players such as Alexander and Holmgren to rise step by step; the Celtics also accumulated through the draft to create a dual-core team of Tatum and Brown. The Grizzlies can completely emulate these two teams and completely tear down and rebuild.

The specific reconstruction path is very clear: First, send Morant away. Although Morant's trade value has declined, there are still teams that will bet on his talent and should be able to get good assets in exchange. Secondly, build a team around young players such as GG Jackson and Aldama, and use the first-round picks in hand to select new cores in the next few years; finally, patiently train rookies, don't rush for success, and accumulate strength "step by step" like the Thunder.

The new season may be the Grizzlies' "last shot" opportunity, but judging from the performance in the preseason, this shot will most likely end in failure. If the team is still hovering around the 10th place in the Western Conference in the first half of the regular season, then don't hesitate anymore - sending away the core as early as possible and rebuilding completely is the choice responsible for the future of the team. The Grizzlies once became the craziest team in the Western Conference, relying on Morant's explosive play style and the momentum of young players. They dared to challenge the Warriors and Lakers, and also dared to shout the slogan "No rival in the Western Conference." But now, this "arrogance" has become a joke. The 4-game losing streak with a net loss of 69 points is the most realistic warning to them. Rather than struggling in the quagmire, it is better to press the "reset button" as soon as possible.