The Highest Possible Seed for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA's West

The Memphis Grizzlies enter the 2026/27 season with minimal expectations after trading away their longtime stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. But with no expectations, it enables Memphis to play free, couple that with the new anti-tanking rules, and there is reason to believe that Memphis could be a lot better than many project.

Listen, the Grizzlies' roster is going to be under a microscope this season, with much of the focus centered on the growth and development of Cameron Boozer, GG Jackson, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and Zach Edey.

Cameron Boozer: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 4/7 FG, 2/3 3FG, 6/7 FT, 79 TS% vs Magic

Another great showing for the Grizzlies rookie 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EsvJft1BXJ
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 8, 2026

However, Memphis has more than just young talent to rely on.

The roster is filled with high-level depth players and proven veterans like Ty Jerome, Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart, and others who can help keep the team competitive throughout the season.

Simply put, the Grizzlies have the depth and talent to be competitive and become a tough out on a nightly basis. With tanking no longer offering the same draft lottery incentives under the NBA's current rules, Memphis has reason to prioritize development while still trying to win games.

A sixth-place finish in the Western Conference represents a best-case scenario, but it is not entirely out of reach. The Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets could occupy the top five spots, leaving the door open for Memphis to climb into the top six. Teams like the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns could all be within reach under the right circumstances.

The West is as competitive as ever, but if the Grizzlies' young core develops and their veteran depth delivers, Memphis could outperform expectations and make some noise in the standings.

Now for the opinions of others here OnSi.

Tre Allen

Oct 7, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo talks with guard Ty Jerome (2) during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Memphis is a very young team with a lot of solid building blocks for the future. The pick Cameron Boozer was excellent and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up being the best player from his draft class. With that said, I don’t think Memphis has the experience or firepower to keep up with the other teams in the western conference especially after a few teams added new pieces. I would say the highest seed the Grizzlies could get would be No. 12. I think that would be a solid season for a team of young guys and it would help enter that next level teams and separate themselves from the struggling teams near the bottom"

Eric Jay Santos

Boozer, Edey, Coward — Oct 7, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer (27) and guard Ty Jerome (2) react during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It will be a daunting task for the Grizzlies to climb back out of the depths of the Western Conference. Memphis lost its closest semblance to a franchise star after trading Ja Morant and doesn’t have much depth across its roster. There’s a lot of hype surrounding Cameron Boozer, and he could very well develop into an All-Star-caliber talent in the coming years, but promising rookies don’t always make an immediate impact on team success. The most recent example is 2026 Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg. On the optimistic end, a sixth-place finish in the Western Conference would represent a best-case scenario. The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns are all surpassable under the right conditions.”

Matt Hanifan

Oct 7, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jerami Grant (3) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"The Grizzlies’ best-case scenario hinges on Cam Boozer’s adaptation to the NBA and Zach Edey’s health. Edey was the Grizzlies’ most impactful player last year, and the numbers bear that out, albeit across just 11 games. His massive size completely changes the calculus defensively. Pair that with Boozer, an incredibly smart, high-feel playmaker on both ends of the floor, and the Grizzlies have a very strong 1-2 tandem in the frontcourt if both are healthy for 55-60+ games. I believe Boozer is beyond ready to contribute from Day 1. And assuming Memphis gets healthy seasons from Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, G.G. Jackson, Jerami Grant and Isaiah Stewart, there’s a world where this team finishes with north of 35-40 wins and competes for a top-6 seed."

Ethan Skolnick

"Is top six likely? No. Possible? Yes. There are only four teams that seem guaranteed, even with an injury to a star -- Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Minnesota and Houston. Denver and the Lakers could slide out if either Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic misses significant time, however. And that could create an opening. While Memphis will need to really click to pass Phoenix, Portland, Utah and some others, all of those teams have their own issues. It's fairly simple -- when Zach Edey plays, the Grizzlies have been pretty good. And now there's more around him than there was during his stints last season. The highest seed is probably six, though seven or eight would be significant progress."

Add us as a preferred source on Google