Memphis went from 25-57 to an unbeaten start, and the league has noticed. Now the front office has to decide whether this is a window to push through or a preview of what is coming.
How real is a 4-0 start?
Real enough to respect. Memphis won 111-108 at Golden State, 123-112 at Sacramento and 110-105 at Utah, and none of those games were easy. Through four games the Grizzlies are plus 9.7 per 100 possessions with a 105.9 defensive rating. A year after finishing 27th on defense, that defensive number is the one to trust. The jump from 24th to 6th in the power rankings in one week reflects a mood more than a resume.
Can Ty Jerome keep scoring like this?
Not at 29.8 a night, and he doesn't need to. He is hitting 37.0 on threes and dishing 6.5 assists across 31.3 minutes, and Action News 5 reported he took the West's weekly award. Beale Street Bears argued his start is less of a fluke than it looks. The win at Utah, when Jerome had 15 and Cedric Coward put up 16 and 11, is the template for the nights he cools off.
Is Cameron Boozer already the centerpiece?
The 19-year-old plays like one everywhere except his jumper. Boozer is averaging 14.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists over 33.1 minutes a night, and he opened the season with 25 and 13 at Golden State. He is shooting 25.9 percent on threes. Coward is giving 13.3 points and 9.7 boards, and Jaylen Wells is scoring 14.8, so the young wings are doing their share of the work too.
Should Memphis spend its cap room and picks to push now?
Here is the case for it. Payroll is $161.1M, under the $165.0M cap and far below the $200.4M tax line, and Memphis owns its 2027 and 2028 first-rounders outright. Jake Fischer listed the Grizzlies among teams exploring deals, and a Stein and Fischer roundup this week mentioned them again, still without a player attached. The case against: it has been four games, the 2029 and 2030 firsts are tied up in swaps, and seconds are owed to Charlotte, Brooklyn and Minnesota.
What does Portland tell us about where this team stands?
Plenty. The Blazers are also unbeaten, 3-0 with a plus 16.9 net rating. Deni Avdija is averaging 22.3 points, and Ja Morant, sent there in the deal that brought Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis, is at 16.3 points and 6.3 assists. Shaedon Sharpe and Chris Youngblood are out. Memphis has two days of rest, an empty injury report and a fourth straight road game. Win there, and the Kings, Pelicans and Pacers come to FedExForum next.
Are the Grizzlies for real at 4-0?
The defense suggests the start has substance: Memphis has a 105.9 defensive rating after ranking 27th on defense last season. Four games is still a small sample, and Ty Jerome's 29.8 points a night will likely come down.
Are the Grizzlies making a trade?
Nothing has happened. Jake Fischer and Marc Stein have reported Memphis among teams exploring deals, but no player has been named.
