As the 2024-25 season approaches, star goalie Yes Morant sees the light for the Memphis Grizzlies.
“I think we can win a championship next season,” Morant said, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis News (h/t Grizzlies SZN).
Ja Morant on his expectations for the Grizzlies’ 2024-25 season:
“I think we can win a championship next season. Honestly, God willing, if everyone stays healthy.”
(Via: @DamichaelC)
VENGEANCE TOUR 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ttJEKT38Ao
– Grizzlies SZN (@Grizzlies_szn) August 19, 2024
“Honestly, God willing, if everyone stays healthy.”
Grizzlies’ Ja Morant names key to team’s championship win
Morant’s confidence in his team’s ability to win a championship is nothing new. After he and the Grizzlies nearly beat Stephen CurryDuring the meeting between the Golden State Warriors and the Red Devils in the 2022 NBA playoffs, he affirmed that his team had nothing to fear in the Western Conference.
Those remarks wreaked havoc on the Grizzlies, who were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Worse, perhaps, was the media circus that followed Morant in 2022-23. Allegations of inappropriate behavior, usually stemming from his propensity to brandish firearms, became so common that NBA commissioner Adam Silver ultimately suspended him for the first 25 games of the season. following season. Therefore, Memphis’ 2023-24 campaign was over before it even began.
When Morant fell with a shoulder injury After just nine games, the verdict was already sealed. Just consider that the Grizzlies were 6-3 when Morant played, but 27-55 this season.
MRI 3
Next season, Memphis will have its best team since Marc Gasol, Mike ConleyAnd Zach Randolph were leading the Grizzlies “Grit n Grind.” Unfortunately, their new Big 3 is having major problems staying on the court.
Morant, a longtime All-Star, is the team’s most valuable asset. An incredible athlete and underrated passer with a knack for scoring in crucial moments, he has averaged at least 25 points and six assists per game in each of the last three seasons. However, he has never played more than 67 games in a season.
Desmond Bane has been a revelation in Memphis, becoming Morant’s right-hand man. Averaging at least 21 points, 4 assists and 1 steal per game over the past two seasons, he will continue to be considered a go-to scorer. The 26-year-old is especially dangerous from beyond the arc, which has helped him complement Morant in the backcourt. Still, he has only played 100 regular-season games since 2022-23, so his durability is also in question.
Then there is Jaren Jackson Jr.whose scoring prowess makes him more of a 2B option than a third. One of the league’s top bigs, Jackson Jr. averaged a career-high 22.5 points per game last season. More impressively, he’s recorded at least 100 3-pointers and 100 blocks in each of the last three seasons. He’s far from fully healthy, though.
It all comes down to Ja
With the Grizzlies’ stars yet to reach a clean bill of health, their depth could be key to their playoff push. Behind Morant will be Marcus Smart Or Derrick Rose. Luc Kennard should be Bane’s replacement after being re-signed. If Jackson Jr. starts at power forward, Brandon Clarke could be his main backup.
The biggest downside will likely come from Morant’s injury. For all his defensive prowess, Smart is a relatively limited offensive player due to his inconsistent shooting. At 35, Rose is far from his peak physical condition. So while Morant is obviously right to hope his team stays healthy, it’s his health that will matter most.
