The Memphis Grizzlies spent the offseason reshaping the roster, and the first real test of that work won’t just be how they look in October. It’ll be how they measure up inside a Southwest Division that has gotten tougher around them.
Memphis added top-tier talent in the 2026 NBA Draft, made several trades, and dipped into free agency. Fans already got a preview of the new mix during Summer League, where the Grizzlies reached the championship game. That was a promising snapshot, but the bigger story comes when the full group is on the floor together for the regular season.
And that’s where things get interesting. The division they’re walking into is no soft landing.
The San Antonio Spurs are coming off one of their best seasons in years. They finished as Western Conference champions, led the Southwest Division, and reached the 2026 NBA Finals. That kind of run changes the conversation fast, and it leaves the Spurs looking like the team everyone else is chasing.
San Antonio hasn’t been especially busy this offseason, but that makes sense given how strong its core already is. Victor Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie both got contract extensions, Tobias Harris was added, and the Spurs also came away from Draft Night with Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. Those first-round picks only deepen a roster that already looked built for the long haul.
Dallas has taken a different route, making plenty of noise while trying to form a sturdy core around Cooper Flagg. One of the biggest moves came with the arrival of Zaccharie Risacher, the 2024 first-overall pick, from the Atlanta Hawks. Ryan Nembhard went the other way, after giving Dallas a lift last season, and Santi Aldama also landed with the Mavericks in the six-team trade that included Memphis.
The Mavericks are still young, but they do have Kyrie Irving back healthy, which matters for both leadership and guidance. Klay Thompson remains on the roster for now, though there have been rumors he could be moved before the season begins. Dallas also brought in rookies through the 2026 NBA Draft, including Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio De Larrea.
Houston may be the division’s sneaky problem. The Rockets have been a force in the Western Conference over the last two seasons, even if the playoffs and the biggest moments have not gone their way.
This offseason brought more help, starting with Fred VanVleet returning healthy after Houston played all of last season without him. Marcus Smart is in the mix too, and Bogdan Bogdanović gives them another useful bench option.
The Rockets still have a deep and dangerous core with Kevin Durant, Alperin Şengün, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Steven Adams - who is working his way back to full strength - and Jabari Smith Jr. on the roster. On paper, that’s a group that can make life miserable for anyone in the division.
New Orleans, meanwhile, has been quiet enough to leave people wondering what exactly the plan has been. Trade rumors have surrounded Jordan Hawkins, DeAndre Jordan got a contract extension, and Christian Koloko signed a one-year deal. Beyond that, the Pelicans’ summer has been mostly empty.
Their only draft addition was Jaron Pierre Jr., a guard from SMU taken late in the second round. That’s a modest haul for a team that has already gone through a couple of rough seasons since making the playoffs in 2024.
The most notable recent move for New Orleans remains the one from back in June of 2025, when Jordan Poole arrived after CJ McCollum was traded to the Washington Wizards. Injuries have made life harder than it needed to be, and the Pelicans may simply be hoping to see what this group can do when healthy.
For Memphis, the outlook inside the division is straightforward enough. The Spurs and Rockets still look like the biggest hurdles, just as they did a year ago. The Mavericks and Pelicans could also be better than they were last season.
The Grizzlies have plenty of new pieces, so there’s no clean read on how they’ll handle these matchups when everyone is at full strength. But the early signs are encouraging. Between their strong Summer League run and the depth they had to lean on last season because of injuries, Memphis looks positioned to stay in the mix in the Southwest Division.
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Jerami Grant Trade Idea Could Change Memphis In A Surprising Way
The Hornets have spent the offseason trying to reshape a roster that still needs more balance at the top end, and one name that keeps popping up in that conversation is Jerami Grant. A potential deal would give Charlotte a cleaner starting look and add another proven scorer to a frontcourt that still needs more certainty, while also creating a more natural fit next to Naz Reid in the kind of lineup the article explores.
From Memphis side, the appeal is less about splash and more about retooling the rotation with players who can help steady the roster in different ways. The framework discussed would send Grayson Allen and Grant Williams to Memphis, but the bigger question is whether the Grizzlies would be willing to move on from Grants contract situation in a deal that could make sense on paper while still carrying plenty of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]