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Former Grizzlies Thriving in Playoffs.... Elsewhere

As Memphis rebuilds, its past is playing in the NBA postseason
Ethan J. Skolnick|
Dec 8, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzles guard Dillon Brooks (24) reacts with guard Desmond Bane (22) after a basket during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzles guard Dillon Brooks (24) reacts with guard Desmond Bane (22) after a basket during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

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Memphis GrizzliesLos Angeles LakersPhoenix SunsOrlando Magic

A lot was made of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. pulling up to Orlando to watch their former Memphis Grizzlies teammate, Desmond Bane, play against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

Morant and Jackson Jr., have the time, after all.

Jackson Jr., was traded by the Grizzlies to the rebuilding Utah Jazz in February, and the Jazz were already well out of the playoff picture. Morant, of course, is still with the Grizzlies, but likely not for all that much longer, as Memphis transitions to a new era with a young roster and three of the first 32 picks in the upcoming NBA draft.

Bane did not disappoint his former teammates, playing a role in the Magic taking a stunning 3-1 lead over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons as the series heads now to Detroit. But he's not the only former Memphis regular who is getting time this postseason.

A slew of Grizzlies are reminding what was, and what might have been.

Let's start with Bane. He was traded for four first-round picks last offseason, a haul the Grizzlies felt they could not turn down. He was Orlando's most consistent player this season, playing in all 82 games -- remarkable durability, especially when you consider how brittle the Grizzlies roster was this season.

He averaged 20.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in the regular season and, while he's shot poorly in the playoffs so far (just 37 percent, though he did get hot in one game from deep), he is justifying Orlando's commitment to him.

Desmond Bane
Apr 27, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) shoots a three point basket against Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the second half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Bane was the understudy to Dillon Brooks in Memphis once upon a time, and while Brooks is now out of the playoffs, with Phoenix swept by Oklahoma City, he wasn't to blame for that.

He actually outplayed the Suns' franchise player, Devin Booker, by a wide margin, averaging 26 points and six rebounds, it just wasn't enough to really test the defending champions.

This was a marked improvement from Brooks' final postseason with the Grizzlies, in 2023, when he shot just 31 percent against the Lakers, and the Grizzlies essentially decided he was no longer worth the trouble. After some time in Houston, Brooks has emerged as the emotional leader of a Suns squad that was a bit ahead of schedule this season.

Dillon Brooks
Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) celebrates a shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers, unlike Brooks, are still playing -- even without Luka Doncic and, to this point, Austin Reaves, and while LeBron James is the primary reason at age 41, he's gotten a lot of help from two more former Grizzlies.

Both Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard have been key contributors, in picking up the slack.

Smart, who was injured for most of his almost-two seasons in Memphis, has averaged 35 minutes in four playoff games against the Rockets, at age 32. The former Defensive Player of the Year has shot 50 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from three-point range, while adding 7.5 assists and 3.5 steals.

Kennard, who spent last season with Memphis -- and was with the Hawks this season until Atlanta traded him to the Lakers -- has averaged 39.5 minutes (!) and 17.8 points in the first round series, while filling up the rest of the stat sheet in a way he rarely has.

Kennard and Smart are now linked in another way: they were fined a combined $60,000 for their actions and words toward officials.

All of this has given Memphis fans a lot to watch -- if they care to -- as the playoffs progress, with the current Grizzlies on the outside looking in.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

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