The Memphis Grizzlies may be going through a rebuild, but Ty Jerome says they're eyeing the playoffs this season.
There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the Memphis Grizzlies, starting with the future of incoming rookie Cameron Boozer, a potential franchise player.
But in the immediate future, the external expectation is that there will be growing pains for the team. The Grizzlies are seen as a likely lottery squad in the 2026-27 campaign as they work through their rebuild.
That, however, isn't going to stop the team from trying. During a recent podcast appearance, Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome said that Memphis is eyeing a playoff appearance this coming season.
"The political answer is to get better every day and...see where the chips fall," he said when asked about the outlook for the Grizzlies this season. "The real answer is we have the playoffs on our mind for sure."
Last season was Jerome's first with the Grizzlies. When he was on the floor, he was fantastic, but that unfortunately didn't happen very often. He was limited to just 15 appearances due to injury.
In those 15 games (all starts), he averaged 19.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 42.0 percent from beyond the arc. It was enough to show that his 2024-25 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers was no fluke when he challenged for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
If he can stay on the floor in the 2026-27 season, he should be able to provide Memphis with a major backcourt boost. That would certainly help the team's chances of making a surprise playoff push.
The Grizzlies have made a handful of additions this offseason who will see the floor in the upcoming campaign. They've also let some players go, including former franchise cornerstone Ja Morant, marking the end of an era for the team.
But with that chapter ending, the Boozer chapter is beginning, and the No. 3 overall pick has a chance to become a special figure in the city of Memphis as he looks to guide the team out of the woods. Boozer won just about every award in the book during his lone season at Duke and was impressive in Summer League play.
If the Grizzlies are going to push for a playoff (or even just a play-in) spot this coming season, Boozer is likely going to have to be a big reason why. For what it's worth, he has often been regarded as the most NBA-ready player of this year's draft.
But the good news is that even if Memphis ends up in the lottery again, there should still be plenty to be optimistic about. The idea of a playoff bid is simply a nice goal for a young team.
