NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Memphis Grizzlies have Ja Morant back but what does that exactly mean? Sitting at just 7 wins on the season, his presence was needed but what will it mean team-wise?
Morant last season averaged 26.2 points per game on a team that reached 51 wins. However, this is not the same unit. Yes, Jaren Jackson Jr and Desmond Bane are still there doing what they do best on both ends of the court but the absence of Dillion Brooks and Steve Adams is where this team is suffering.
Morant will come in and take ownership. He’s going to come back with a chip on his shoulder and ball out. But that means that those who have been doing so already will now be forced to take a back seat.
Jackson Jr is averaging 21.5 points per game on 16.3 FGA. Bane is averaging 24.4 points on 19.4 FGA. Before Marcus Smart went down with his injury he was taking 10.8 shots per game. Morant, last season averaged 19.9 shots per game. Who will suffer from him being inserted back into the lineup?
While wins have been scarce, the Memphis Grizzlies have still played as a unit. That tends to happen when ball-dominant players are out. But now he’s back and the team will have to adapt.
Saying his presence will not result in wins is just foolish thinking. But to say it won’t come with a bit of hostility, well, that’s foolish thinking as well.
Can The Memphis Grizzlies Trust Ja Morant
Morant is the star of that team. Hell, he’s one of the bright young stars of the NBA. However, despite him being all that, the Grizzlies have done nothing. There is no Steven Adams on the boards. There is no Brooks on the defensive end of the floor harassing the opposing team’s best players. Those days are gone. Now, Jackson will have to limit his shot attempts and go back to being an anchor. Bane will have to avert some of his shots and wait for the ball to come his way.
While Morant is back, they will still have to find a way to blend in Smart when he returns. Smart is like having Brooks on the court just without the trash talk. He does not require a high volume of shots to get his work done. But Smart is not an SG or SF either. Where is his position when he returns?
The move for Smart was a great one while Morant was out for 25 games but Smart only played 11 himself before he went down. Now, Taylor Jenkins will have to incorporate two players who don’t know one another and do it on the fly and pray the team’s chemistry can survive.
What makes Smart so vital to a team like this is his experience. He has been where the Grizzlies want to be. Smart has never been shy when it comes to speaking his kind. Can Ja Morant and the rest of the team accept that type of criticism and leadership not coming from one of their core players?
What the Memphis Grizzlies must pay close attention to is “hero ball’. While Morant did miss 25 games, the Grizzles still have a shot. They are not the Detroit Pistons where a chance at the playoffs are gone already. The Grizz are only 6 games out of the 10th spot in the West. Morant may feel the need to put the team on his back and do too much which may hurt their chances. Anyone can understand the excitement he brings. He’s a dedicated player and will give his all. However, that may come with certain drawbacks.
Instead of the team having to adapt to him, Morant will have to find his place in this unit. Being the man is not only carrying the load but knowing when to follow as well. 6 wins before he returned doesn’t mean the ceiling was falling in. Anything can happen in the NBA but good things tend to happen when everyone is on the same page.
