4 team-building notes after Ja Morant season-ending injury news
Ja Morant is out for the year. So what now for the Memphis Grizzlies? Lay the groundwork for 2024-25.
The 1st two games of the West Coast Road Trip was supposed to be a beacon of hope for the Memphis Grizzlies. They handled the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. Spearheaded by Jaren Jackson Jr. putting on a dominant performance against Anthony Davis, he, Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart all surpassing the 20-point mark. Then, they beat the Phoenix Suns through the stellar two-way work of Jackson, Smart, and Vince Williams Jr., although in the absence of Ja Morant.
Any sort of hope felt deflated after the Memphis Grizzlies announced that Ja Morant would miss the rest of the season to undergo surgery on his shoulder.
It stings like none other.
The Grizzlies had gone 6-3 with Morant back in the fold, offering optimism they could really rally back into the play-in — and eventually the playoffs. This earlier, he’s provided electrifying moments and play — for example, but not limited to, his buzzer-beating floater in his return and his dunk on Victor Wembanyama.
With him and the returning Smart and Kennard back in action, there was hope the tide was turning. However, the past 12 months remain unforgiving to the Grizzlies. It sucks the season is shaping out this way. Heck, it sucks that we didn’t even see what exactly happened for Morant to hurt his shoulder. It all sucks.
I hate it so much for Ja Morant. Someone who was putting in the work, coming back looking to rewrite his narrative, lead his team to its goals, and reemerge as one of the league’s premier superstars. Then it’s all busted due to injury, another roadblock in his career journey.
And now everyone wants to point to what’s next for the Memphis Grizzlies? Is there any sliver of hope this season? Do we need to start scouting the 2024 draft by watching college, international, and G League hoops? Should some of the complementary players be shopped?
Let’s unpack one thing at a time.
On-court strategy
Continuity with and around Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Marcus Smart.
Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been available all season long — knock on every piece of wood near you. As long as they’re on the floor, the goal should be to maximize them and find out what works this year and beyond.
It starts with Marcus Smart, who has shared little time on the floor next to them. He’s found a groove in the road trip, and is likely to handle more on-ball responsibilities in Morant’s absence. The experiment with him at point guard has been rocky, but they could alleviate it by putting Bane in more of an on-ball role.
The Grizzlies should also test with what works for Jaren Jackson Jr., positionally. Run more lineups with him at the 5 alongside Santi Aldama or Vince Williams Jr. Find a potential 2024-25 center that can take pressure off Jackson at the 4.
On the wing, it seems rather simple. Vince Williams Jr. should start and play 30 minutes a night. His two-way tenacity has been a spark for the Grizzlies, a bright spot for a grim season. They need to continue leaning into Luke Kennard’s outside shooting and tertiary playmaking — exploring more with 3-guard lineups with Smart and Bane to gauge its effectiveness for those rotations in 2024-25. Ziaire Williams has worked his way back into a rotation spot, and now they need to see if his impact could remain without Morant alongside him.
Taylor Jenkins has a formula centered around Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. Jackson and Bane are 2 All-Star caliber players that have emerged as elite offensive weapons. Jackson and Smart are 2 Defensive Player of the Year winners, and Vince Williams has broken out as a great perimeter defender — catalysts for a strong defense. Bane and Kennard have been 2 of the league’s best outside shooters the past 3 seasons. Santi Aldama and Ziaire Williams are wild cards, tall perimeter players with the skillset to swing games.
Though it’s bleak without Morant, the infrastructure is there to stay head above water if momentum is there — as well as retooling for 2024-25.
Trade Deadline Plans
Operate as normal: plan for 2024-25.
The Grizzlies’ plan for 2024 trade deadline remained simple: find a center, and clear a roster spot for Vince Williams.
Common thought would be for the team to sell at the deadline, something outsiders will immediately look at Memphis with in the next month. People will have their eye on Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. With those 2 players, they are seen as key pieces to complement its core and are under contract next season. They help you more now and next year, than any trade would bring in.
Yes, you don’t pass up offers you cannot refuse. If the message to Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane is to contend in 2024-25, they should not be sellers at the trade deadline. They need to operate with how can they be better for next season.
Players I’d watch for: Bismack Biyombo, Xavier Tillman, and John Konchar.
All 3 of these players could serve value as bench pieces on contenders. Biyombo is an expiring contract that can handle spot minutes. Tillman is an unrestricted free agent on low money; teams could look past his offensive slippage and view him as a great defensive piece off the bench. Konchar seems to be out of the rotation, and his contract is about to jump from $2M to $6M next season. If the Grizzlies want to get proactive about their 2024-25 books — as they inch close to the 2nd apron in the luxury tax — then they could flip Konchar for a small expiring contract or 2nd round picks.
If the Grizzlies could pair any of these players together in a 2-for-1 trade, that’d be ideal, as it could also free open a spot to get Vince Williams on the main roster on a long-term deal.
(Worth noting from a trade standpoint: the Grizzlies could potentially have 2 disabled player exceptions, if they apply for one after Morant's injury (roughly $12.4M). I don’t know if they will apply for one, or even if they use the $6.3M one from Steven Adams. Topic for another day.)
Player Development
Find out more about the wings
When the Grizzlies got hit with the Smart and Kennard injuries earlier in the season, the young wings got put to the test. Vince Williams Jr. passed the test and should see a larger role going forward.
Can Ziaire Williams develop consistency to stay in the rotation? David Roddy fell out of the rotation after ample opportunity and could be back in line for minutes. Jake LaRavia and GG Jackson have shown solid play with the Hustle. If the season goes haywire, they have a chance to showcase their skillset on the main roster.
The team may need to consolidate their young wings at some spot, given the quantity of unproven talent on the roster. This time to close the season should give them a more clear idea of how the priority order should follow.
Draft
The million-dollar question: “should they trade or keep the pick” needs to wait
We’re already into the debate of “should the Grizzlies trade or keep the pick.” I’d wait on that discussion.
For one, can we see where the pick falls first?
Secondly, people will use the term “weak draft” with this class. How many teams will want to deal a legitimate starter for a lottery pick in a weak draft? Within the same realm, who’s even the best realistic player to acquire with said pick?
Yeah, it’s risky bringing in another young player when the goal is to compete for championships. At the same time, this is the team’s best chance to add a cost-controlled young player next to the core in a while.
And quick skim on the class: it’s “weak” on cornerstones, but it has good players to add to a core. Watch a lot of the tournament. Go to Landers Center in Southaven when the G League Ignite play the Memphis Hustle on February 1st and 2nd.
Pros and cons exist with both mindsets. Regardless, their 2024 pick is now an asset that can be used to bolster the roster around Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane.
This Ja Morant news is deflating. Now, 2 (potentially 3, depending on Brandon Clarke’s status) of their 15 main-roster players are out for the season. And after everything this team has gone through the past 12 months, it seems like one demoralizing thing after another.
The Grizzlies will compete regardless. I know expectations are low, as the team has gone 6-20 without Morant this season. However, Smart and Kennard back offer some calvary that wasn’t fully there in the 1st 25 games. Vince Williams Jr. has solidified himself as a real piece towards winning. Bane and Jackson’s play as well offer hope they could rally and keep chugging.
Whatever happens record-wise will happen. The goal for the Memphis Grizzlies from here on out is to best position itself to return to the top of the Western Conference in 2024-25 — and that can happen both on the court, and everything else involved with building a contending team.
If you choose to support my Substack, SubTsakalidis — aka “SubTsak” — follow this link to my Allie’s Allies St. Jude fundraiser page. If you choose to subscribe, all proceeds will go towards St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.