2 Winners, 1 loser from Grizzlies recent re-signing of Luke Kennard

Wednesday afternoon, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Memphis Grizzlies had finally come to an agreement on a new contract with their sharpshooting two-guard, Luke Kennard.

A reunion long expected to happen, the veteran re-upped with the franchise to the tune of a one-year, $11 million deal.

Winners and losers from Luke Kennard's new deal with Grizzlies

Without question, many positive impacts and overall effects are expected to come from Kennard's official return to Grind City for the 2024-25 season. However, not everyone involved in the ordeal can be anointed as beneficiaries.

With this in mind, here are a couple of winners, and, unfortunately, one loser from the veteran's re-signing with the Grizzlies.

Winner: Ja Morant

After being limited to a mere nine games played in 2023-24, Ja Morant heads into this upcoming campaign with redemption on his mind.

Since being medically cleared to return to basketball activities earlier this month, all signs have pointed toward the superstar looking and feeling great, with Morant himself noting that he's already at "75 percent, and I feel like that's still scary for whoever's in front of me."

While the expectation is that the point guard is slated to have a resurgent season, the best way for him to do so will not only be by remaining healthy, but also by coming back to a team he has a deep sense of familiarity with.

Since arriving with the franchise back in 2022-23, Luke Kennard has established himself as one of Memphis' core contributors, and locking him up is only bound to help their centerpiece get back into the swing of things early and often.

With his offensive game being heavily reliant on driving the lane, having Kennard back in the fold to stand out on the wing in preparation for a drive-and-kick, catch-and-shoot attempt can only stand to benefit Morant.

Since making his first appearance in the navy, blue, and gold, the 28-year-old has cashed in on a whopping 48.7 percent of such attempts from distance and 48.4 percent of catch-and-shoot attempts as a whole, ranking him fourth in both categories.

Having someone as reliable as Kennard can only go on to benefit Morant in his comeback season as it has throughout their tenures together.