4. Memphis Grizzlies
It’s a really good thing that the Memphis Grizzlies got rid of former general manager Chris Wallace earlier this year. Wallace made a good number of mind-boggling moves that went bad for the Grizzlies. Among those were signing the often-injured small forward Chandler Parsons to a near-max contract at the time and drafting the bust and big man Hasheem Thabeet.
The fact that Wallace was general manager for as long as he was is a testament to how bad this organization was run in parts. Memphis spent too much money and made numerous bad moves on the trade market. The constant opportunities the Grizzlies had in recent years to take this team to the next level via free agency or the trade market were seemingly always passed on.
What’s good for the Grizzlies, though, is that there is new blood in the front office now with the former president of business operations Jason Wexler leading the charge as the current president of basketball operations. With Wallace now demoted to scout, Wexler and owner and chairman Robert J. Pera are now the faces of the front office and ownership.
The Grizzlies are trying to turn the page to a new chapter with the faces of the franchise in terms of players now with rookie point guard Ja Morant and second-year forward Jaren Jackson Jr. While Morant is off to a hot start to his rookie season, this Grizzlies team could be in rebuild mode for at least two or three more years.