Ascending through adversity with Zach Kleiman

It was 379 days ago…

NBA team basketball executives have selected Memphis Grizzlies Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Zach Kleiman as the winner of the 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, the NBA announced today.

More ➡️ https://t.co/XbxgH6RXZ2 pic.twitter.com/innXghwI5m

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 12, 2022

On May 12th, 2022, Zach Kleiman was named the NBA’s 2021-2022 Basketball Executive of the Year. This achievement was actually the result of multiple years of work, but it obviously was well deserved as everything seemed to come together for the Grizzlies two seasons ago. Second best record in the league, arguably the best young core in basketball, a playoff series victory, and breakout seasons from Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. to support an All-NBA campaign from Ja Morant.

The 21-22 season also continued the smooth and seamless rise of the Grizzlies to the NBA’s elite. Clear progress had been in made in each of the first three seasons of the Kleiman, Jenkins, Morant era of the Grizzlies: play-in round exit in Year 1, play-in victory and first round exit in Year 2, first round victory and second round exit in Year 3. As the Grizzlies entered last summer, it was hard to deny that they were one of the best candidates in the league to compete for titles over the next 3-5 years.

A team that was experiencing an awesome ascension that was smooth, seamless, and successful.

And yet, after the Grizzlies second round loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 playoffs, Kleiman, as he always does, remained steadfast with his assessment of where the Grizzlies were and where they wanted to be:

Zach Kleiman says he reflected on his comments about the “path not being linear” and how this team’s path is “oddly linear.”

Still says results aren’t always linear, but at this level of basketball, there are a lot of great teams. He’ll put the team in a spot to be right there

— Parker Fleming (@PAKA_FLOCKA) May 15, 2022

Fast forward a year later to now, and many I feel can attest that Kleiman’s words ring more true than ever.

“Path Not Being Linear”

On the surface, the simple truth is that the Grizzlies path toward their ultimate goal is no longer linear in terms of general championship progress. For the first time since Kleiman took over as top executive of the franchise, the Grizzlies took a step back in terms of season-ending results with a first round lost to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season.

However, with how much success the Grizzlies had in the early stages of this version of the franchise, defining the current status of this team cannot simply be limited to end of the season results.

For one, there were plenty of positives on the court for the Grizzlies this year, especially for their best players. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. each sustained their success from last season or reached a new level of production, maintaining the truth that the Grizzlies featured one of the best young cores in the league. Santi Aldama and David Roddy, despite each being the second first rounder selected in each of the past two years by the Grizzlies, proved to be valuable rotation pieces, even in the playoffs. Luke Kennard proved to be a great addition mid-season that now looks to be a long-term piece for the roster, while Xavier Tillman proved depth remained a true asset of the roster as he performed quite well after injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.

However, there is also truth to the fact that there were some obvious negatives on the court as well. Dillon Brooks, despite a well-deserved All-NBA Defensive Second Team nod, proved to be more of a liability than asset multiple times throughout the season, especially in the playoffs. Ziaire Williams and Jake Laravia, the Grizzlies first picks in each of the past two drafts, offered very little value during the season (in fairness, both were limited due to injuries.) And for the second straight year, injuries to significant parts of the roster impacted the Grizzlies playoff hopes, as Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke were unavailable while Morant was limited against the Lakers.

Of course, the negatives for Memphis also extended beyond the court. Multiple incidents involving Morant were main storylines related to the Grizzlies throughout the season, including an 8-game suspension in March. Brooks created what likely were unwanted distractions during the series against the Lakers. Now, Morant is once again suspended from team activities as the offseason is in its early stages, and it seems very likely that Brooks’s time as a Grizzly has come to an end.

As can be seen, it was a season full of both successes and struggles for the Grizzlies. And as they enter the offseason, it is fair to suggest that the struggles right now stand out more than the successes, and that more questions may exist than answers. But this is the exact reason why Kleiman has mentioned the “path not being linear” phrase on multiple occasions. He knows that the Grizzlies level of success during their rebuild was rare, and that as it does for all franchises, struggles and adversity would likely eventually arrive before the Grizzlies reached their ultimate goal.

Of course, the sources of struggles and adversity that the Grizzlies are facing as they enter the summer may not be exactly be what Kleiman had in mind.

The “North Star”

A few years ago, Kleiman mentioned the term “North Star”, describing an NBA Championship pursuit that is the ultimate goal for both himself and the franchise. Without a doubt, that likely remains the primary focus for every member of the front office, coaching staff, and roster. However, really for the first time during Kleiman’s time as the top executive for the Grizzlies, relevant doubts and distractions exist in relation to the Grizzlies ability to ultimately achieve that goal.

Obviously that begins with Morant. As mentioned above, Morant is currently away from the team due to suspension. Whether or not he comes back to the team in some capacity at some point this offseason remains to be seen, but what is certain is that the Grizzlies will also be without Morant for a lengthly amount of time to begin the 2023-2024 season. However, the biggest focus for Kleiman and the Grizzlies is working with Morant to get him back to being the consistent All-NBA performer and leader of a title contender. Kleiman has put a major emphasis on having a strong relationship with Jenkins, Morant, and the roster, and that should be a source of hope that Morant and the team can get back to where they once were in pursuit of a title.

The other part of the the equation is making the necessary moves to truly make the Grizzlies a team that can thrive in the playoffs, and being aggressive to do what is necessary to make Memphis a true contender. Part of that is hopefully having better luck when it comes to health so Memphis can have all of their significant contributors once future postseasons arrive, but many NBA teams experience some sort of bad injury luck each year. In terms of what Kleiman and the Grizzlies can control, finding an upgrade for the starting lineup (likely through a Dillon Brooks replacement), getting Adams and Clarke back to health, and focusing on the development of Williams, Laravia, and others are major roster focuses for the summer.

While the situation with Morant off the court and continuing to upgrade the roster on the court are two different storylines this offseason, the alignment of everyone’s focus once again on the pursuit of the “North Star” could be a major step towards success on all fronts. Kleiman and the franchise have more than enough proof of how successful things can be when everyone shares the same goal. While it clearly will be a challenge this summer to accomplish this task, everyone should remain positive and confident it can be done because of Kleiman’s approach and aggressiveness.

Ascension through Adversity

Make no mistake, the Grizzlies have plenty of things to work through to get where they want to be. And the reality exists not every decision Kleiman and the Grizzlies have made over the past few years will prove to be successful. But one encouraging truth remains about Kleiman that proves he is more than capable of getting the Grizzlies back on their championship path soon:

His strengths are preparedness and thoroughly knowing his staff and roster better than anyone. And as a result, Kleiman knows that what got the Grizzlies to this point may not be what eventually gets them to their desired destination.

I asked Zach Kleiman if the team-building approach changes this summer:
“You want to be upfront with yourself about building a team that can compete at the highest level in the playoffs.”
Later in the same answer: “Did we really need to triple down on youth?”

— Chris Herrington (@ChrisHerrington) April 30, 2023

It is important to point out that Kleiman knows that every part of the organization must change to get back on track, including himself as the words above reference. Developing young talent may no longer be as important as finding established pieces that can truly support the Grizzlies young core. More active adjustments by the coaching staff may be needed in high leverage moments and the playoffs. Keeping the focus on the court and constant progression is essential for the roster. Every part of the organization has a way to truly evolve this summer.

Fortunately, for Kleiman specifically, he has already shown he can make the correct moves to truly allow his main core to thrive in the playoffs. Adding Adams and Kennard over the past few seasons is proof that Kleiman knows the exact skill sets the Grizzlies need in addition to Morant, Bane, and Jackson Jr. to thrive against the NBA’s best. Furthermore, he also made it clear the Grizzlies will continue to be active and aggressive in making other significant moves to upgrade the roster before next year.

Zach Kleiman made it clear the Grizzlies were very aggressive at the deadline and it’s a bit of a misconception that they were content.

They end up with Luke Kennard but we’re close on a couple ‘wow’ players that ultimately didn’t end up in Memphis.

— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) February 10, 2023

Zach Kleiman was extremely aggressive in trying to add another key player at the trade deadline.

The front office was aware of this team’s needs before this playoff series. I suspect the Grizzlies will be aggressive again this summer.

— Clayton Collier (@ClaytonJCollier) April 29, 2023

If trades are ultimately how the Grizzlies plan to improve, Kleiman’s track record speaks for itself. Back in 2019, likely talks at the trade deadline eventually led to the offseason trade of Mike Conley to the Jazz, a move that Kleiman continued to build off of with other moves to really accerlate the Grizzlies rebuild successfully. Both the Adams and Kennard trades involved players who seemed to be under utilized with their previous teams but then thrived once they arrived in Memphis. In multiple ways, Kleiman has consistently shown he can improve this roster better than many expected through trades. That should provide confidence he will once again make the right moves this summer.

Of course, in terms of the youth on the Grizzlies roster, the need for internal development remains important as ever. It will be critical for Williams, Laravia, Roddy, Aldama and others to continue to progress and evolve. And while it may be unlikely all of these talents will become relevant in Memphis, Memphis’s track record under Kleiman and Jenkins of drafting and developing players remains strong and valuable. Hopefully, their methods will prove to be successful once again.

So yes, for Zach Kleiman and the Memphis Grizzlies, the team-building approach that was successful in the past may not be the same focus that is successful in the present and future. However, while the focus my change, the Grizzlies methods toward’s ensuring they make their focus successful should remain consistent with what has brought them much success over the past few seasons.

And that is the value in adversity. It helps to identify what should change and what should remain. And even if establishing new focuses and goals are essential, maintaining best practices that lead to progression and growth are critical as well. Without a doubt, the Grizzlies logically had no desire to go through the struggles they have over the past year. But it is also logical to expect the Grizzlies to continue to ascend through that adversity under the leadership of Zach Kleiman.