Hustle and Flow: A Recap of the 2023-24 Memphis Hustle Season

The Memphis Hustle had just as unpredictable a season as you could possibly imagine. From the Memphis Grizzlies injury woes bleeding into the Hustle’s depth to second-round picks going from G League projects to NBA prospects seemingly overnight, this was quite the season. It’s honestly unbelievable to imagine that there were Hustle games this season that featured Kenneth Lofton Jr., G.G. Jackson II, and Jason Preston as teammates, as well as games that showcased G.G. Jackson II, Jake Laravia, and Vince Wiliams Jr. as teammates, considering Vince and G.G. both established themselves as future pieces of the Grizzlies moving forward.

The season started with Jason Preston starting at point guard before ultimately ending up on a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz, G.G. Jackson II and Vince Williams Jr. on two-way contracts that were both converted to guaranteed NBA deals, Jacob Gilyard providing solid point guard minutes off of his two-way contract before getting waived, Kenneth Lofton Jr. making brief appearances before getting cut by the Grizzlies, and ended with Trey Jemison, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Jordan Goodwin occupying those same two-way slots that were full only some months ago. I hope that sheds light on how much change actually occurred in only a matter of months.

In the midst of the madness that stemmed from the Grizzlies woes, the Hustle also made a handful of meaningful moves to help lay some groundwork for the future. In December, the Hustle made their biggest move of the season by acquiring walking triple-double DeJon “Deeky” Jarreau in a trade involving Mychal Mulder, a move that ended up being an absolute steal in retrospect. They also added veteran direction through the signing of Davon Reed in December, which proved to be a very valuable move as well. They also gained the flexibility of the two-way deals of Trey Jemison and Scotty Pippen Jr., as mentioned above, assuming they both keep their deals going into next season, which would also provide amazing rebounding and playmaking for the Hustle in a handful of games next season.

The Hustle finished the season 15-19, missing the playoffs, but considering all that Memphis dealt with this season, it’s actually pretty impressive. The Hustle had to adapt to call-ups, signings, players getting waived, trades, G League assignments, and more, and to be able to adapt to that and nearly finish with a.500 record on the season is insanely impressive, especially considering they were in the midst of the playoff race before Deeky Jarreau signed consecutive 10-day deals with the Grizzlies, leaving a huge hole in an already depleted Hustle roster deep in the season.

The Hustle did a wonderful job this season with development being the most glaring achievement. Coach Jason March and staff watched numerous players get called up, signed, and even converted to league level contracts within their system. And as those things happened, the team did a magnificent job staying in stride and trying not to miss a beat. Attention was paid to those were converted, yet not a lot was showed to those who continued to grow and adapt with the team, including Adonis Arms who went from a role player to, in many ways, a leader for this Hustle team. Including breaking the record for most points in a quarter in franchise history with 22, having a large stretch of games scoring 20+ points, and consistently providing solid efforts on both ends of the floor. Same goes for Matthew Hurt who even played well enough to play for the Grizzlies a handful of games this season. Success isn’t always measured in wins and throughout this season the Hustle did an exceptional job of exemplifying why they’re one of the best developmental teams in the G League.

I expect the Hustle and Grizzlies to have similar bounce backs next season. Both teams went through rough stretches by placing pieces together on a whim, learning on the fly, and adjusting to unforseen hardships were thrown their way. They will use the tools they’ve gathered this season and apply them to their situations that should be back to normal come tip-off next season. 

Shoutout to the Memphis Hustle on an amazing season.

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