Memphis Grizzlies basketball is just two months away, meaning it’s almost time to start planning for the season, with the NBA expected to release its 2026-27 schedule this week.
Though many of the league’s top contenders will dominate the national spotlight, the Grizzlies enter the season in an intriguing position. They are embracing a rebuild, but promising young talent such as rookie first-round pick Cam Boozer
and second-year player Cedric Coward.NBA schedules are often built around storylines, matching rivals and highlighting the biggest offseason moves. The Grizzlies didn’t make the splashiest additions this summer, and many of their previous rivalries with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers have faded following significant
roster turnover.
Even so, there will be plenty to watch when the NBA unveils Memphis’ schedule. Here are the most intriguing storylines.
Ja Morant’s return
The first date many fans will search for is Ja Morant’s return to Memphis.
The two-time All-Star point guard was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in June after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Grizzlies.
Although Morant’s tenure ended on a turbulent note, he electrified Grizzlies fans for years and became arguably the most exciting player in franchise history. He’ll almost certainly receive a heartfelt tribute and a standing ovation when he returns to FedExForum.
The question is when that game will happen, and whether it will receive national television coverage.
From a storyline perspective, it would be fitting if Morant’s first matchup against Memphis comes at FedExForum. If the teams meet in Portland first, some of the anticipation surrounding his return will fade.
The Grizzlies may not receive many nationally televised games this season, but Morant’s return is one matchup that deserves consideration.
Other Grizzlies reunions
Morant won’t be the only familiar face returning to Memphis.
The Grizzlies hosted the Utah Jazz after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. on Feb. 3, but the two-time All-Star forward was sidelined with an injury and never faced his former team.
Jackson has already received his tribute video, but he has yet to play against the Grizzlies. A matchup between Jackson and Boozer also would be one of the season’s more intriguing individual battles.
The Desmond Bane trade happened a little more than a year ago, but it already feels much longer given all of the changes Memphis has made since. Bane faced the Grizzlies twice last season in the teams' trip in Europe, meaning he never had the opportunity to return to FedExForum. That will change this season.
Santi Aldama, who was traded to the Dallas Mavericks this offseason, also will make his first appearance against Memphis since the deal.
Then there’s former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins. Memphis fired Jenkins in March 2025 after six-plus seasons, and he was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.
Like Morant, it would make for a better storyline if Jenkins’ first game against the Grizzlies comes in Memphis.
Another MLK Day game?
The Grizzlies have become synonymous with the NBA’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day schedule. Since relocating to Memphis from Vancouver in 2001, the franchise has been left off the league’s MLK Day slate only twice.
One of those exceptions came last season, when the Grizzlies played two regular-season games in Europe. With a new generation of players, another MLK Day game would provide more than just national exposure.
The annual celebration also gives players an opportunity to learn about the city’s deep ties to the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s legacy. That connection has long made the Grizzlies’ MLK Day tradition one of the NBA’s most meaningful annual events.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ja Morant's return, other Grizzlies storylines with upcoming NBA schedule release
