Grizzlies face a much tougher Emirates NBA Cup path than last year

This season should bring plenty of excitement for Grizzlies fans. But if there is a piece of potentially bad news, it's the challenging NBA Cup draw the Grizzlies have. The Grizzlies went 3-1 in the NBA Cup last year and fell just short of advancing due to point differential. But based on this year's schedule, it will be challenging for them to reach that record again.

The NBA Cup schedule for the Grizzlies can be seen below:

Games against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers should be manageable based on where things stand right now. However, games against a solid Minnesota Timberwolves team and likely title contender in the Thunder could prove to be problematic. Going 3-1 or better isn't fully off the table yet, but odds are the Grizzlies will likely go 2-2 or worse.

It's still an exciting test for the Grizzlies

The Grizzlies are still very early in their rebuild and the circumstances change every year, but it shouldn't be forgotten that they made multiple double-digit comebacks in last year's campaign. Yes it's true that Cam Boozer is entering his rookie season, and players such as Zach Edey and Cedric Coward are still on their rookie deals.

But regardless of competition, a Grizzlies squad that was hit with injuries early still showed some promise against some experienced teams in the NBA Cup last year.

Based on recent history, a win against the Thunder just simply seems like too much to ask for. But it shouldn't come as a big surprise if the Grizzlies win convincingly against the Pelicans and the Clippers. Chances are that the deciding game for the Grizzlies advancing or not will be against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

While a pairing of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball in Minnesota should be exciting, the Grizzlies could potentially give the Wolves trouble with a versatile frontcourt. The circumstances may be different for both teams this year; but, it's notable that they split the season series last year despite the Wolves making the playoffs and the Grizzlies finishing with one of the NBA's worst records.

It's a challenging draw compared to last year, but it's a potentially very fun schedule for the Grizzlies. Plus, there might not be a better opportunity for the Grizzlies to establish themselves early as one of the surprise teams in the NBA. The Grizzlies will most likely fail to advance, but the possibility of moving on shouldn't be fully dismissed yet.

The NBA Cup could end up being an exciting time for the young core of Cam Boozer, Cedric Coward, and Zach Edey to make a statement, even with the odds against them.