It has been a chaotic last few days for the Memphis Grizzlies. Despite awaiting returns from key players such as Ty Jerome and Zach Edey, the Grizzlies have lost three straight games, and tensions are rising. The team recently suspended Ja Morant for a game following criticisms of the coaching staff after losing to the Lakers on Halloween night. The Grizzlies must correct course soon, and part of the solution is to get Jaren Jackson Jr. more involved on offense.
Currently in his 8th season in Memphis, Jaren Jackson Jr. signed a five-year, $240 million extension in the opening hours of free agency this past summer. Just hours after signing the deal, Jackson Jr. suffered a turf toe injury, which required surgery. Despite fears of missing the start of the season, Jackson Jr. returned in time for the opener. So far, this season has been a strange start for him.
It is no secret that the Grizzlies are one of the most injured teams in the NBA, but Jackson Jr.'s decrease in offensive involvement is a huge cause for concern. As a part of the Desmond Bane trade, it was expected that Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. would bear more offensive responsibility, but that has not been the case for Jackson Jr. so far.
The numbers show that Jackson Jr. needs more involvement
One of the most important things for head coach Tuomas Iisalo going into this season was to make sure that Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. could coexist effectively on offense. Morant has gotten off to a difficult start due to his struggles making threes and the lack of rim pressure, but Jaren Jackson Jr. has had significantly fewer shot attempts compared to last season.
Before Jaren Jackson Jr. sprained his ankle and Tuomas Iisalo took over as the interim coach last season, Jackson Jr. was on pace to have an All-NBA-level season due to his elite defense and another offensive leap. Last season, Jackson Jr. averaged 22.1 points in just 29.8 minutes per game and looked more comfortable scoring in isolation. Jackson Jr. was primed for a larger offensive role following the Desmond Bane trade, but the opposite has occurred.
Jackson Jr. is at 12.4 field goal attempts in 28.6 minutes per game so far, compared to 16.4 field goal attempts per game last season. He has been used more as a screener in Iisalo's pick-and-roll-heavy offense, but is being featured less as an isolation scorer. The Grizzlies must find the right balance of using Jaren as a screener while still allowing him to be an effective isolation scorer.
Jackson Jr. currently has a 63.6 TS% and an eFG% of 60.1%, both of which would be career bests. Even though a drop-off in efficiency is likely with increased volume, reducing his offensive role is counterproductive. For example, Jackson Jr. attempted just nine shots against the Warriors on October 27 and eight against the Lakers on Halloween. The team must prioritize getting Jaren closer to his shooting volume from last season.
The Grizzlies are entering one of their toughest stretches of the season, with plenty of adjustments to make. One of the most important adjustments will be for Jaren Jackson Jr. to get significantly more touches on offense. Even when the team returns closer to full strength, the Grizzlies must get Jackson Jr. more involved on offense, especially if they want to build momentum.