3 Priorities That Should Define the Grizzlies' 2026-27 Season

The Memphis Grizzlies will be juggling priorities this season, but three stand out above the rest.

That's not to say they won't have other priorities. The Grizzlies are in an interesting place. They don't want to be the worst team in the NBA in 2026-27. Given the league's new flattened lottery odds, nobody does.

Still, it feels unlikely that Memphis would have "tanked" even if there was incentive to do so. They've already drafted their prospective franchise player, and Cameron Boozer's floor feels exceedingly high. Memphis will want to compete, but they won't want to do so at the expense of some high-order priorities:

Like these, for example.

There are two reasons why Jerome would still be on this roster at the end of the season.

The first would be that, heading into the trade deadline, the Grizzlies were far exceeding expectations. If they look like a credible playoff team, they could pivot towards strict win-now mode. That would mean keeping the 6'5" combo guard on the roster, as he might be Memphis' best player in 2026-27.

The other would be that Jerome got injured again, or Memphis couldn't find a suitor for him given his relatively extensive injury history.

That would be highly unfortunate. Memphis needs to bolster Jerome's value heading into the deadline so that they at least have the option to move him. If they can flip the veteran guard for an unprotected first-round pick, that would be a best-case scenario for Memphis.

Prioritizing a player's health is difficult. The only way to ensure they don't get hurt is to keep them off the floor, which, of course, is entirely self-defeating.

Edey needs to play, but protecting his body is essential. This puts Memphis between a rock and a hard place, but they need to find a way to walk that fine line.

If Edey is having a single ache or pain, he should probably take the night off. Don't be surprised if he's unavailable in the second game of a back-to-back. Edey should be vital to the game plan when he is on the floor, but in a developmental season, there's no reason to risk another injury.

Speaking of development...

Nothing matters more than Cameron Boozer's development this year.

Memphis should lean hard into his playmaking. Boozer should lead all rookies in usage. There's no reason to hold back during his freshman season.

That could mean losing games. As talented as Boozer is, first-year players tend to struggle. Memphis should let him work through his warts. Even if it costs them games in 2026-27, it'll benefit the team in the long run if they give Boozer the longest possible leash.

He ought to be the organization's top priority.