There's no question that the top priority for the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason will be re-signing center Marc Gasol, a two-time All Star and the 2012-2013 Defensive Player of the Year.

But assuming they can keep their big man away from a number of potential suitors, what should be the next step? How does a good-but-not-great team -- they've won 64.7 percent of their regular-season games but just three playoff series in the last four seasons -- go about improving?

In his Western Conference free agency primer, ESPN's Bradford Doolittle compares the Grizzlies' current situation to that of the late-aughts Dallas Mavericks, who routinely tallied 50 or even 60 wins in the regular season but struggled to break through with a title. Finally, after patience and some measured retooling, the Mavs won it all in 2011.

From Doolittle: