The Memphis Grizzlies are no longer viewed as a team simply retooling for another push. According to a report from Evan Sidery, the franchise is now expected to launch a full-scale rebuild, with Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. already traded for premium assets, and Ja Morant likely to follow.
This marks a dramatic shift for a team that spent the past few seasons trying to balance two timelines at once. The Grizzlies entered the 2025-26 season believing Morant could anchor the present while younger talent developed around him, but the roster has been dismantled far faster than anticipated.
The turning point came on June 15, 2025, when Memphis sent Bane to Orlando in exchange for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and several first-round picks. Then, on February 3, 2026, Jackson Jr. was moved to Utah, leaving Morant as the last major piece from the core that once seemed built to contend.
Sidery’s report adds the next logical step: the Grizzlies are expected to build around the No. 3 pick, along with Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, and Jaylen Wells. This group gives Memphis a fresh foundation but also highlights how far the team has moved from the veteran structure it once relied on.
Memphis is now set to enter a full-scale rebuild. Bane and Jackson Jr. have been traded for valuable assets, and Ja Morant will soon follow. The franchise will build around the No. 3 pick, Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, and Jaylen Wells.
The 2025-26 standings reflect the team’s reality. Memphis finished 25-57, a record that left them near the bottom of the Western Conference and in the lottery instead of playoff contention.
Morant’s own numbers still indicate he can drive an offense when healthy, averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in 20 games. But with the front office leaning toward a reset, his role in the next version of the team looks increasingly uncertain.
Memphis has already collected premium assets, but the latest report suggests the goal is no longer to patch the roster. The objective now is to start over.
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