The 2019–20 Memphis Grizzlies season is the 25th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association and 19th in Memphis. After the end of the 2018–19 season, and prior to the beginning of the 2019–20 season, Robert Pera announced a restructuring of the Grizzlies' basketball operations department: “In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations". On April 11, 2019, the Grizzlies fired head coach J. B. Bickerstaff after missing the playoffs. Additionally, General Manager Chris Wallace was reallocated to a role exclusively in player scouting. Jason Wexler was announced as Team President and Zachary Kleiman was promoted to General Manager, as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. On May 14, during the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery, the Grizzlies not only kept their first round selection this year, but rose up to the #2 pick in the process. The Grizzlies later found their new head coach on June 11 with Milwaukee Bucksassistant coachTaylor Jenkins. On June 19, 2019, it was announced that longtime Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley will be traded to the Utah Jazz after spending his first 12 years in the league with the Grizzlies. It is for the first time since the season that Conley is not with the Grizzlies. The season was suspended by the league officials following the games of March 11 after it was reported that Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.
The Memphis Grizzlies hold a first round pick for the 2019 NBA Draft. Before the night of the NBA draft lottery, the Grizzlies risked losing their first round pick if it fell outside of the top 8 due to a prior trade with the Boston Celtics. However, their sole first round pick rose up six spots in the draftto go from the already safe #8 selection to the second overall pick of the draft. On the night before the 2019 NBA draft began, the Grizzlies agreed to trade long-standing point guard Mike Conley Jr. to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, a future first round pick, and the Jazz's first round pick this year at #23, although the trade would not be completed until July 6 due to salary cap reasons. With the second pick of the draft, the Grizzlies selected point guard Ja Morant from Murray State University. The Grizzlies also received Canadian power forwardBrandon Clarke after he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder out of Gonzaga with the 21st pick and immediately traded to the Grizzlies for the 23rd pick, and the Grizzlies' 2024 second round pick.
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