Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor is joined by NBA contributor Tom Haberstroh to discuss the Memphis point guard’s looming return and what it will mean for his future with the club. Check out the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
View more
Advertisement
Video Transcript
It seems like things are pointing to Ja coming back on Friday.
Uh, this is a welcome-back party for him, but it’s also a litmus test, because the Grizzlies Were 4 and 10 to start the year with Ja Morant.
The offense was sluggish.
The new pick-and-roll heavy offense wasn’t working as expected for Ja, And the tracking data, uh, goes back to earlier in the year.
They made the fewest passes.
Per half-court possession by any team in the NBA.
And since he got hurt, its skyrocketed up to third.
They’re 3rd in the NBA in passes per half- court possession.
They go from last to third just by removing John Morant, and they’ve won seven of those last 10 games without him.
Advertisement
And so Ja Morant comes back now, He’s just got to fit in.
More with this team.
Because, at one point, the job for the Grizzlies, he had to be their savior.
But right now, Memphis needs a teammate.
And, unfortunately for him, Between the suspensions, the lack of self-awareness, the comments hes made publicly, And the inability to adapt, Morant’s shown zero interest in being that teammate.
And so, if he comes back and hijacks the offense, if he staggers the development Youth again.
The Grizzlies are gonna have to trade Ja.
This is his last chance here, Tom.
It’s his last chance to prove himself as a member of the Grizzlies by being part of this New era, this new future here, and also to prove himself to any other team that might have Interest.
Advertisement
This is the moment we’re really going to find Find out if Ja Morant has it in him starting Friday with his return.
Yeah, after watching that game against the Blazers, not noticing they were missing John Morant, in the least, you know, just that the ball was moving.
They were so good, uh, and it seemed like the chemistry was as good as I’ve seen in Memphis Best Grizzlies team in a long, long time, and its no coincidence John Morant was Uh, on the bench for that game.
I mean, if you’re the.
Grizzlies, who do you want to build around?
Is it Ja Morant still?
Is it Jaren Jackson Jr. still, or is it the young guys?
Advertisement
And I would argue, if I’m a Grizzlies fan, I want to see them all play together at least once A little while before I come to this determination.
But I gotta tell you, they’re much more fun when Cedric Coward and Zach Eadie run it the show than John Morant and Ja Morant Jackson Jr. for a long time.