Best young team to upset NBA ‘Big Boys’: Grizzlies, Rockets, or Magic?
Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are making some noise in the NBA with their young cores.
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The young Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are making some noise in the NBA
In this 2024-25 NBA season, the usual suspects are battling for playoff places. Amongst them, are three teams who are looking to upset that hierarchy. The trio of the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and the Orlando Magic are all in the top of their respective conference.
The Grizzlies were not a surprise heading into this season considering their core have finished second in the West in the past. The other two though have shown considerable improvement as their young core pushed them up the ladder.
Last year’s Eastern Conference Finalists Indiana Pacers could have also made the list. But their form so far has been on and off. If they can fix their offensive issues, they too could be in the running alongside the other three.
The above mentioned three teams are not completely young when looking at their average age. But the core players are young with some veterans to push them. On top of that, their head coaches are relying on that young core for most of their games. But just how good are they at the moment.
1. Memphis Grizzlies
The first and most obvious name that comes to mind is Ja Morant. The 25-year-old superstar missed almost all of last season as his team struggled with two-way players and 10-day contracts. But from that season emerged 19-year-old GG Jackson. Him and Santi Aldama were the surprise two young players who showed future promise.
But Jackson is expected to return to the team mid-January as he is dealing with a foot injury. That injury riddled season also meant that the Grizzlies could draft Zach Edey in the first round. A starting five of Morant, Desmond Bane, Jackson, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Edey will be a problem for anyone.
But the superstar’s injury concerns have kept that from repeating that. But what is surprising to the NBA at the moment is that the Memphis Grizzlies are 4th in the strong Western Conference without ever fielding that five together.
In the games so far, Scottie Pippen Jr. has emerged as a solid player. Him along with Aldama, Jaylen Wells and Jake LaRavia make another strong set of players 25 and younger who could make a major impact from the bench. This team has the making of a championship contender if everyone is healthy.
2. Houston Rockets
When someone talks about the Houston Rockets, the first thing that comes to mind is that veterans Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Steven Adams are on the team. Along with 38-year-old Jeff Green and a few other older players, the team does not crack the top 10 young teams in the NBA list.
However, leaving Van Vleet out of the equation, and the Rockets possess a solid young starting core of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Moving to the bench and 21-year-old Amen Thompson has become a pivotal player along with him is Tari Eason.
They also have two younger players assigned to their G-League squad who are expected to continue their development. But the Rockets made the biggest splash in this year’s NBA Draft when they selected Reed Sheppard.
The Kentucky star was arguably one of the best players in the Summer League and give the Rockets some additional scoring. Sheppard, Cam Whitmore and N’Faly Dante may not make much of an impact this season. But if they can learn from the veterans and continue to grow, the 2nd placed Houston Rockets have massive upside and championship potential.
3. Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are currently third in the Eastern Conference behind the two best teams in the league. The oldest players on that squad are two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph and Gary Harris. Other than them, the rest of the squad is either 27 or younger.
That includes All-Star Paolo Banchero who started this season on a hot streak. But injury has kept him out for more than a dozen games. Usually, a squad would lose games left right and center when their leading superstar is sidelined. But not the Magic, as they steadied themselves after losing four straight this month.
Since then, they have been on a 10-1 record, which further proves the point that the young core is well coached and good enough to give playoff teams a run for their money. One would wonder though, what would have happened if Banchero was playing.
Even winning two out of those four losses and the Orlando Magic would have been the third best team in the league. Such is the strength of their young core that opponents are wary of the threat they post. That makes them a championship favorite once Banchero is back.
The Memphis Grizzlies were expected to be good, but the additions of Edey and emergence of other young players have made many to consider them as the dark horse. The same can be said about the Rockets and the Magic as they collectively continue to embarrass the established order.
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Joseph Varghese
(2317 Articles Published)