The Memphis Grizzlies had a season to forget, but there are lessons to take from it. Here are three key takeaways from their 2025-26 campaign.
This was not a season that Memphis Grizzlies fans will want to remember.
Consider it a blip on the radar. In time, nobody in the fanbase will care about 2025-26. It will simply be that one weird season when Ja Morant hardly played — OK, maybe that's happened more than once.
The broader point is that Memphis intended to compete, and they didn't. They were among the worst teams in the league instead. It will be better to forget, but first, it's worth reflecting.
Here are three takeaways from the Grizzlies' 2025-26 season.
1. The Grizzlies need Zach Edey
Memphis spent much of the year tanking, so looking at their stats is arguably a waste. That said, they're likely to try to compete next year, so there are areas worth examining.
Gathering more rebounds would certainly help. Memphis grabbed 42.1 rebounds per game this year, 23rd in the NBA. They were particularly poor on the defensive end, as their 31.0 defensive rebounds per game ranked 26th.
Edey's 7-foot-3, 305-pound frame would have helped. His 30.6% defensive rebounding percentage would have ranked third in the NBA if he'd played enough games to qualify.
And that's the point.
Can Edey play enough games to qualify for leaderboards in 2026-27? If so, he could revolutionize their frontcourt — even with his presumptive pick-and-roll partner's future in Memphis increasingly uncertain.
2. The Ja Morant Era Is Over
There's not much to say here basketball-wise. This is more a matter of off-court drama and the rumor mill.
It just feels like Morant's time in Memphis is up.
Above all else, it's about availability. Morant played 20 games this year. He managed an almost-acceptable 50 in 2024-25, and just 9 the year before that. By now, the Grizzlies know they can't rely on him.
Will anyone else want to take a gamble on him? That remains to be seen. Morant won't yield much value on the trade market, but if Memphis can move off his contract in a salary-matching deal without attaching assets, it would be worth giving the organization a fresh start.
At least it's not all bad.
3. Cedric Coward has cornerstone potential
Let's not coronate Coward as Memphis' new franchise player just yet.
He didn't quite reach those heights in 2025-26, but he showed enough to suggest he's capable of hitting them. Here's what can be comfortably said: he has the potential to be a cornerstone.
Coward looked the part of a future third-best player on a serious contender — capable of playing Robin to someone's Batman. His season averages of 13.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game don't fully capture his ability to create shots and defend multiple positions.
When Grizzlies fans look back on this season, he's likely what they'll remember first.