Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies

Basketball Team
Memphis Grizzlies

1994 Memphis


Memphis Grizzlies is a franchise that belongs to the Western Conference of the NBA. Its beginnings date back to 1995 in the city of Vancouver. After a shaky start, they decided to move the franchise to Memphis in 2001. Since then, the franchise's best years have been in the state of Tennessee. The Grit and Grind Grizzlies and the Gasol brothers are the most prominent figures in the brief history of this franchise that has yet to win a title.

Difficult beginnings in Vancouver

On April 27, 1994, a business group led by the owner of the Vancouver Canucks field hockey team founded the Vancouver franchise, which would become the first Canadian franchise to play in the NBA since the Toronto Huskies and the 29th to join the NBA after expansion that same year. Along with the Toronto Raptors, both franchises began their NBA journey with an expansion draft in which the most prominent players were Greg Anthony, Byron Scott and Gerald Wilkins. The team's poor reputation was crucial in motivating young players to refuse to sign with the franchise. Most notably, in 1999, Steve Francis refused to sign with Vancouver, prompting the need for a change of scenery. The most notable player to play in Vancouver via the draft was Bryant Reeves, a number 6 draft pick. Financial problems and difficulty in signing players prompted the Grizzlies to switch cities. Other notable players to play for Vancouver were Abdur Rahim or Mike Bibby. These Grizzlies never made the playoffs, nor did they win more than 30% of their games.

Abdur-Rahim, Bryant Reeves y Mike Bibby l Foto: NBA.com
Abdur-Rahim, Bryant Reeves and Mike Bibby l Photo: NBA.com

Grizzlies move to Memphis

In 2001, the franchise moved to Memphis, and that same year, they acquired Pau Gasol, who had been selected in the third position of the draft by Atlanta. The arrival of the young Spaniard was key to change the future of the franchise. Gasol was voted rookie of the year after his first great season. The change of mentality of the franchise was carried out after Jerry West took the reins of general management. A promising project was being formed, to which must be added the arrival of Battier to the team.

Pau Gasol posa con el premio de novato del año l Foto: NBA.com
Pau Gasol poses with the rookie of the year award l Photo: NBA.com

Jerry West was responsible for the arrival of Hubie Brown, who was voted manager of the year in 2004 after helping his team qualify for the playoffs for the first time in its history by winning 50 games.

The team's positive dynamic was reinforced in 2007 after selecting Mike Conley in the draft. With Chris Wallace as coach, one of the most remarkable events in Grizzlie history took place. Pau Gasol was traded on February 1, 2008 to the Lakers. In that transfer, Memphis acquired the rights to Marc Gasol. A player who would wait for his arrival to a team that was being built around Rudy Gay.

 

The Grizzlies of the Grit and Grind

It is considered the best era in the brief history of the Memphis franchise in the NBA. These Grizzlies were characterized by developing an atypical game in which they combined great defense, full-court pressure and a fluid and effective offense. Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are the five players to watch in this system. Where the defensive value of two pieces stood out, Tony Allen, 6 times in the defensive quintet and Marc Gasol, defensive player of the year in 2013.

Tony Allen, Mike Conley, Marc Gasol y Zach Randolph l Foto: Memphis Grizzlies
Tony Allen, Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph l Photo: Memphis Grizzlies

In 2011, they returned to the playoffs after four years. This positive dynamic had been seen since the previous year, where Zach Randolph improved his team's performance. In 2012 they managed to finish 4th in the East, even so, they fell in the first round to the Clippers. Although in 2013 they lost a key player such as Rudy Gay, the project was not affected and they achieved their maximum number of wins in regular season, with 56, also managing to play in the conference finals for the first time in their history. In 2016, the decline of this core began. Despite playing playoffs, the Spurs swept Memphis in the first round. In 2017, they would again fall in the first round to San Antonio. That summer, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen departed, leaving the fate of the franchise on the two most important players in Memphis history, Gasol and Mike Conley.

Total rebuilding process

Conley's physical problems meant that Marc had to carry the entire weight of the team on his shoulders. With an unpromising team, the Memphis project hit rock bottom in 2018, reaching 22 wins, the worst record in ten seasons. After this debacle, the management decided to send Marc Gasol to Toronto and in the summer 2019, Mike Conley signed with Utah, being the last player of the most successful core to leave the franchise.

Forced to a rebuild, the arrival of a young Ja Morant, which opts for rookie of the year, is easing the transition, for a team that together with Jaren Jackson Jr. intends to build a new promising future.

Jaren Jackson y Ja Morant l Foto: NBA.com
Jaren Jackson and Ja Morant l Photo: NBA.com

Biography by Juan Guillermo Salas