Published for Grizzlies fans — October 2026
The Club
The Memphis Grizzlies are the soul of the Southwest. Founded in 1995 in Vancouver and moved to Memphis in 2001, the Grizzlies play at FedExForum in navy, light blue and gold — and they built their identity the hard way: grit, grind, and defense. The franchise has never won an NBA title, but the “Grind Together Higher” creed runs from the grit-and-grind era to today. And today, everything is new.
Last Season (2025-26): The End of an Era
25-57 — 13th in the West, 5th in the Southwest, no playoffs. The year began with hope and ended with a teardown. Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz at the deadline on February 3, Ja Morant played only 20 games before being shut down on March 24 with an elbow injury, and the team was eliminated on March 25 with a loss to the Spurs. Then came June 29: Ja Morant was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. With Desmond Bane already dealt to Orlando a year earlier, all three cornerstones of the once-promising core are gone. GM Zach Kleiman promised the rebuild won’t be a “drawn out, five-year process” — and the No. 3 pick is the first brick of what’s next.
Best Players Right Now (2026-27 Roster)
Cameron Boozer, 19, Forward (#27) — The future, right now. The No. 3 pick in the 2026 Draft out of Duke is the headliner of the post-Morant rebuild. Memphis won just 25 games last season — Boozer is why the next five years could look very different.
Zach Edey, 24, Center — The 7-foot-4 anchor from Purdue. Effective when healthy, but he played just 11 games last season before a second foot surgery in March. Everything about the rebuild’s timeline depends on his availability.
Ty Jerome, 29, Guard (#2) — The steady veteran hand. Projected starting point guard; his full-time return and playmaking are crucial if this young team is going to approach .500.
Cedric Coward, 23, Forward (#23) — The 2025 No. 11 pick out of Washington State. A projected starter at 23 with the two-way upside Memphis loves to develop.
Jerami Grant, 32, Forward (#3) — The vet from the Morant deal. Twelve-year pro who averaged 18.6 points for Portland last season; brings scoring and professionalism to a locker room full of teenagers and twenty-somethings.
Scotty Pippen Jr., 26, Guard (#1) — The backup engine. His health and consistency matter enormously for a team light on proven ball-handlers.
Jaylen Wells, 23, Forward (#0) — The 2025 All-Rookie Team wing out of Washington State. One of the young players Kleiman keeps name-dropping.
GG Jackson, 22, Forward (#45) — The 2023 second-rounder keeps growing his game; part of the young forward rotation.
Walter Clayton Jr., 23, Guard (#4) — The Florida guard arrived in the JJJ trade; a second-year ball-handler with real minutes available.
Taylor Hendricks, 23, Forward (#22) — Another piece of the JJJ haul from Utah. At 6-foot-9 with shooting touch, he fits the modern template.
Kris Murray, 26, Forward (#17) — Came over with Grant in the Morant trade. Averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds for Portland; a depth forward with a restricted-free-agent summer ahead.
Head coach: Tuomas Iisalo — Second full season after taking over in May 2025. He has to turn a roster of draft picks and castoffs into a real NBA team — the hardest, most interesting job in the league this year.
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Star Spotlight: Stories You Should Know
The day the core died. June 29, 2026: Ja Morant — Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star, All-NBA Second Team in 2021-22, the man behind the 56-win season — was traded to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. He had played just 79 games over his final three seasons in Memphis, limited to 20 games in 2025-26 (19.5 points, 8.1 assists) before the elbow shutdown. Morant’s stunned reaction went viral: “Damn. They sent me to Portland, man.” With Jaren Jackson Jr. dealt to Utah in February and Desmond Bane gone to Orlando the previous summer, the core that was supposed to contend for a title won exactly one playoff series together.
Cameron Boozer is the new hope. The No. 3 overall pick is the highest Memphis selection since… well, ever in the Memphis era. Vegas set the Grizzlies’ win total at 28.5 with title odds of +75000 — nobody expects contention. What they expect is a Rookie of the Year finalist who gives FedExForum something to believe in. The preseason was a tease: three wins in three games, including a 116-98 rout of Charlotte on October 16.
The ghosts of grit and grind. Memphis fans will never forget 2011, when the 8-seed Grizzlies stunned the 1-seed San Antonio Spurs 4-2 — Zach Randolph’s 31 in Game 6 is franchise folklore. Every Memphis-San Antonio game still carries that echo.
This Season (2026-27): The Rebuild Begins
Don’t expect the play-in — that’s not what this season is about. Memphis is projected near the bottom of the league with the 28.5 win total, and the goal is development: Boozer’s usage, Edey’s health, Coward and Wells taking leaps, and a rotation full of players 26 and under. The front office holds its own 2027 first-rounder plus extra picks, so the foundation is being poured. USA Today calls Memphis a candidate to challenge for a play-in spot if the young core clicks early — but the real target is 2027-28.
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Games to Watch
Wondering when the Grizzlies play? The Grizzlies schedule opens with a story on night one — here are the dates to circle, and grab your Grizzlies tickets early:
- October 21 — vs Utah Jazz (home opener, FedExForum, 8:00 PM ET): Season opener at home against the Jazz — Boozer’s debut against Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick. The rebuild’s first real night.
- October 23 — vs Golden State Warriors (home): Steph Curry comes to FedExForum for the first home weekend of the year.
- October 25 — at Sacramento Kings: First road trip — a young Kings team in a game Memphis can actually win.
- October 29 — at Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 PM ET): THE reunion. Ja Morant faces Memphis for the first time in a Blazers jersey at Moda Center. Appointment television.
- November 25 — vs LA Clippers (home, NBA Cup): Cup play at FedExForum — the young Grizzlies get a national spotlight game.
Biggest Rivalries — The Wars
1. San Antonio Spurs — The 2011 upset. The Grizzlies’ greatest moment remains the 8-over-1 stunner of the Spurs — Zach Randolph’s 31 in Game 6 is franchise folklore. Every Memphis-San Antonio game still carries that echo.
2. Dallas Mavericks — Southwest Division blood. Short flight, long memories, and two fanbases that don’t like each other.
3. Houston Rockets — The other Texas-adjacent war in the Southwest. Physical games, loud buildings, and a division race to climb back into.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves — The new blood rivalry. Minnesota ended Memphis’ season twice in recent years, and the young Wolves are the measuring stick for where the Grizzlies want to be.
Show Your Colors
Grind Together Higher — at FedExForum or watching from home, true fans wear it. Gear up with quality fan sportswear — jerseys, tees and athletic wear built for real supporters:
Shop Fan Sportswear at Toxlay Sports →
Grind Together Higher — the era ended, the rebuild begins, and the future wears light blue.
