They might have tied a franchise mark of 56 wins in the 2021-22 NBA season, but the Memphis Grizzlies have only fallen downhill since. Despite reaching the postseason last season, they failed to live up to expectations. As the Western Conference has improved, the Grizzlies arguably gotten worse. That said, the organization remains adamant about remaining competitive but that solely depends on superstar Ja Morant.
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The past two seasons haven’t been favorable for Morant. The 2023-24 season only saw the 6-foot-2 guard play nine games due to suspensions and injuries. He improved this past season, but only suited up for 50 games. His production is nowhere close to what it once was during Memphis’ peak in 2022.
In that coveted 2021-22 season, Morant averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists. Last year, Morant averaged 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists. The two-time NBA All-Star didn’t seem as comfortable in the team’s offense, which led to head coach Taylor Jenkins’ firing.
However, there are no more excuses for Morant. This year is imperative not just for the narrative surrounding him as a player but for the team as a whole.
“This team, if they’re going to go back to being a top four team, which they were for several years, it was when Ja Morant was an All-NBA player,” Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective.
It’ll be extremely important that Morant returns to his former self this time around following the Desmond Bane trade. The 6-foot-5 guard was a 20-point-per-game scorer for multiple seasons, who shouldered the offensive burden from Morant in the backcourt.
“They traded Desmond Bane, arguably their third-best player. I think reset is the word that is preferred,” Windhorst noted. Now that he is a member of the Orlando Magic, the Memphis Grizzlies are lacking another shot-creating guard. Windhorst isn’t completely against the trade since it opens up a larger role for a standout figure from last season.
“It’s also a vote of confidence in Jaylen Wells that their second-round pick, who played a big role last year,” he added.
Wells doesn’t bring superstar potential into the equation but he does provide a solid Swiss Army knife to pair alongside Morant. That won’t matter, however, if the former All-NBA star doesn’t play to his potential.
The Grizzlies have proved that they can win on any given night. Any team with a special player, such as Morant, will have a competitive edge, especially with Jaren Jackson Jr. as his co-star.
Will the Grizzlies be competing in June for a championship? Most likely not. But the Indiana Pacers of this past season and the Miami Heat of 2023 are proof that anything is possible. But unless Morant really steps up, it’s too unreal to even be a pipe dream.
