Ja Morant has played just 70 games in the last two seasons, suiting up for only 9 contests during the 2023-24 campaign. From suspensions to injury, the 2-time All-Star was forced to sit out and watch his team struggle from the sidelines. Luckily for the Memphis fans, the prodigal son returns.
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Morant seems particularly happy and healthy heading into the 2024-25 season. During his media day appearance, he warned the league:
“Happy Ja is a scary Ja for a lot of people. So long as I stay happy and healthy, it’ll be a great season.”
Considering where he left off before it all went down, it’s not too bold a statement. However, coming back from a hiatus as long as this is not always easy.
Yet, it’s hard for fans to not expect something from someone as talented as Ja Morant. It’s the same for us. For that reason, here are our 3 predictions, slightly bold, for the Grizzlies star’s upcoming season.
1. Ja Morant will be a much better three-point shooter
Morant, like Russell Westbrook, who also relied on his raw athleticism a lot, has mostly struggled from beyond the arc for the entirety of his career. He has never made more than 1.6 threes per game in a season. In fact, his most made threes per game came last season when he played only 9 games, and his efficiency was a mere 27.5%. This has always been one of the biggest limitations of his offensive game.
However, we predict, this will be his redemption year when it comes to shooting from the distance. With Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. manning the paint, he will have far more confidence to attempt threes.
JJJ is a decent offensive rebounder (averaged 1.3 offensive boards last season), and Zach Edey has proven to be a monster in crashing the offensive glass. Edey averaged 5 offensive rebounds per game in his final two seasons with Purdue. The higher probability of second-chance points will encourage Morant to step out of his comfort zone and attack more from beyond the three.
2. He will prove to be a better defender
The Grizzlies have two of the best defenders in the league in JJJ and Marcus Smart. Their defensive rating of 114.3 placed them 12th in the league the previous season. Morant will need to complement the defensive duo, which is something Taylor Jenkins is already demanding from the star guard. On the Grizzlies media day, Jenkins revealed:
“They (Morant and Desmond Bane) have seen enough film over the years. It’s just sometimes having that honest conversation about where we are going now. If we’re going to propel this team moving forward, we’re going to ask everyone to be on the same page with a collective style on the offensive side. We need the same thing on the defensive side.”
Morant also confessed he’s been observing Marcus Smart and acknowledged his defensive prowess. Having a DPOY-caliber guard training alongside Ja should give him a lot more insight on how to have a positive impact on the defensive end.
3. Ja will be in the MVP race
We are not saying Ja Morant will surely bag the Michael Jordan trophy, but we are claiming that he will, for sure, be one of the front runners. He is a versatile player with an undeniable clutch gene. His performance during the 2021-22 season put him on the map and he finished 7th in the MVP voting. This year, we predict his number will be much higher.
With the defensive duties Jenkins has entrusted upon Ja, and a certain improvement in three-pointers made, Morant’s game would evolve to a higher level— a level at which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic stand at the moment.
It’s easy to forget what a lethal force he was before his off-court actions and injury struggles adversely affected his on-court performance. However, Ja has gotten things under control and looks focused and determined ahead of the season. If he can manage to stay healthy and stay away from distractions, Morant will emerge as one of the top 5 players in the league.
