The Memphis Grizzlies go as Ja Morant goes, and they have leaned fully into the Ja Morant experience after trading his backcourt partner, Desmond Bane, last month. The investment is wise as Morant has been a winner since being drafted by the Grizzlies as evidenced by their 178-129 record with him in the lineup.
Unfortunately, following an injury-shortened 2023-24 season, Morant couldn't return to his All-NBA form until late in the 2024-25 season, mostly after a coaching change. Former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins implemented an offensive system that wasn't tailored for Morant's strengths, and it led to near-career lows in field goal percentage and his worst scoring output since the 2020-21 season.
However, the Grizzlies' new coach, Tuomas Iisalo's, offensive system suits Morant's game better, and his stint as the coach of the summer league team is proving that. While the Grizzlies deal with the transition of a new coach and revamped core, fans should be excited about the prospect of a renewed Ja Morant.
Ja Morant showed glimpses of his All-NBA self after Iisalo was promoted
Taylor Jenkins' firing happened with nine games remaining as Morant missed the final six games he coached the team with a hamstring injury. After not looking like the All-NBA version of himself for much of the season due to a mix of the new system and various injuries, Ja Morant averaged 28.4 points on 48% shooting in his last seven games to end the regular season.
That is the Ja Morant the team expects to see more of as Tuomas Iisalo continues to implement his pick-and-roll heavy offense that depends on excellent point guard play. The addition of Ty Jerome to the Ja Morant and Scotty Pippen Jr. primary ball handler rotation showed the team will be reliant on creation from the backcourt.
Unfortunately, an ankle injury in the team's first play-in against the Golden State Warriors, followed by a hip injury in Game 3 of their first-round series loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, slowed Morant's end-of-season progress. However, the glimpses he showed in Iisalo's makeshift system set the stage for what he could look like in his fully implemented system next season.
Ja Morant is the key to the Grizzlies' success as they transition to a star duo model of him and Jaren Jackson Jr. instead of the big three with Desmond Bane. Getting an All-NBA level performance from Morant throughout the season will be the difference between the team making the playoffs outright or fighting for a spot in the play-in.