The Memphis Grizzlies' mission must be top 10

The thing about the NBA is no matter how many changes an organization makes, it still must then adjust to the adjustments of others.

So as the Memphis Grizzlies embarked on an ambitious reset in the middle of last season -- first with the trade of frontcourt pillar Jaren Jackson Jr. and eventually with the dealing of former franchise face Ja Morant -- they now find themselves repositioned in a Western Conference that appears elite at the top and somewhat soft in the middle.

Can the Grizzlies push toward competing a bit quicker than fans, or even they, planned?

We will see.

But beyond the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers and maybe the Denver Nuggets -- who may be about to lose more talent if Peyton Watson is traded -- there does seem to be opportunity.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reshuffling around Luka Doncic, with the LeBron James era over.

The Los Angeles Clippers don't know if they'll be taking Kawhi Leonard back, should their trade with the Toronto Raptors be voided -- and if not, they're in more of a rebuilding mode.

The Phoenix Suns may have overachieved last season, and it's not clear that adding Miles Bridges -- at the subtraction of key role players -- will be enough to elevate them again.

The Golden State Warriors didn't get Stephen Curry much help, and Jimmy Butler is expected out until January at the earliest.

And the Portland Trail Blazers are banking on the resurgance of Morant and the health of former mainstay Damian Lillard as part of a smallish backcourt; there's considerable boom or bust potential.

That's 11 teams that would seem to have the best shots at a top six seed, or one of the four play-in spots, but a lot of them have serious questions.

A roster with potential

Is it possible for Memphis to sneak into that group?

It should be, provided that Zach Edey is healthy. When he played last season, the Grizzlies -- in spite of their other flaws -- were elite defensively. They can be again. Cedric Coward should continue to grow on that end, and it's not as if Morant was a standout stopper. A full season of Ty Jerome (who put up remarkable numbers even if the team results were meaningless) and rookie Cam Boozer might make the offense pop just enough for early competitiveness.

And it's not as if the Grizzlies will be pressed too much by teams that finished with or behind them in the standings last season. While the new no-tanking rules should create more challenging matchups even against the cellar dwellers, the Kings and Pelicans figure to be pitiful regardless. The Mavericks and Jazz are more worrisome, but even with Cooper Flagg's presence, Dallas's roster isn't all that imposing. Utah has more material, and could surge if Darryn Peterson is the real deal, as he seems.

But as August drags on, with the Grizzlies still with some roster pruning to do, a rise of 10-12 wins from last season's 25 looms as somewhat likely -- Edey's availability provided. And that might get to 10th in a West that is wild but not quite as exceptional as it's been.

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