Four years ago, the Memphis Grizzlies delivered one of the most successful seasons in franchise history. The 2021-22 team won a franchise-tying 56 games, earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and announced itself as the league\u2019s next rising power. After beating the Timberwolves in the first round, Memphis fell to the battle-tested Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the NBA title. That season raised expectations across the organization. What followed ultimately pushed the Grizzlies to initiate a rebuild this year.<\/p>\n
The franchise\u2019s cornerstones failed to meet the moment for a variety of reasons<\/a>. Memphis traded Desmond Bane<\/a> to the Orlando Magic last season to begin a retool. Ahead of the trade deadline<\/a>, the front office moved Jaren Jackson Jr.<\/a> to the Utah Jazz. The team actively shopped Ja Morant<\/a> before deciding to keep him for now. The Grizzlies\u2019 Next Gen era didn\u2019t collapse overnight. Injuries, timing, and hard decisions gradually drove the fall off.<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania reported that no teams made a serious offer for Morant. While Morant\u2019s off-court issues contributed to the team\u2019s decline, injuries played a far bigger role. After returning from a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season, Morant has missed 134 of a possible 213 games.<\/p>\n Ja Morant remained with the Memphis Grizzlies past today's NBA trade deadline. Multiple teams were intrigued by Morant's talent but none were willing to make a serious offer, sources said.<\/p>\n — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nHow the Fall Off of the Grizzlies\u2019 Next Gen Era Happened<\/h2>\n
Injuries and Instability Led to a Shrinking Margin for Error<\/h3>\n
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