Ja Morant's return to the Memphis Grizzlies lineup is imminent. He is buying 250 tickets for Grizzlies fans to pick up at FedExForum on Wednesday ahead of the likely moment this Friday against the Utah Jazz. While it's possible it is just a great gesture on a Ja-centric calendar date (December 12th, or 12/12), #12 in Memphis is certainly nearing retaking his place in the Grizzlies rotation.
That means someone will be returning to the bench...and that someone will likely be out of the rotational mix. While both unfortunate spots may be filled by the same individual Grizzly, there are likely two Memphis players whose current roles will be the most impacted.
A starter no more
Ja Morant will not be returning to the Memphis Grizzlies as a reserve. There's always an outside chance they ease Ja back into the fold cautiously due to injury concerns, especially coming back from a calf strain. But Morant is not a player on the downward slope of his career, at least not in terms of age. The 26-year-old is in his prime - at least he's supposed to be. And the one max contract player on the Memphis roster almost surely will start in his return game.
Does that mean Jaren Jackson Jr. or Zach Edey loses their starting spots? Unlikely - neither are guards, and both figure to be key cogs of the Grizzlies' machine moving forward. Cedric Coward, while not having the best start to his run as a starter, is an NBA Lottery rookie Memphis is very high on (understandably so, given his efficiency differential being among the best in the NBA).
That leaves Jaylen Wells and Vince Williams Jr., and unfortunately for Williams Jr., Wells' ascent over the last 18 months from a 2nd round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft was part of the reason Memphis was willing to part with Desmond Bane in a trade with the Orlando Magic. Wells isn't Bane - likely never will be - but between his size as a wing and his shooting acumen, he perhaps fits what Grizzlies Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo and the front office are looking for from the position.
So, despite an elite assist-to-turnover ratio for a combo guard, Vince Williams Jr. - who is not a "traditional" point guard - likely leaves the starting five. That does NOT mean, however, that VWJ is out of the rotation.
That unfortunate distinction belongs to another Grizzlies player who, in fairness to them, is very much used to doing what's best for the team.
Adios (for now), Johnny Basketball
If operating under the assumption that Williams Jr.'s productivity is rewarded with continued minutes, the options for sitting out entirely thin out. Jock Landale and Santi Aldama are both bigs and will not miss out on minutes. Cam Spencer has shown his value as a scorer while also displaying his own shot creation acumen. And Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, for a variety of reasons, will almost certainly not be the odd man out just yet.
Which leaves...John Konchar. The consummate "break glass in case of emergency" end-of-rotation player, Konchar's game is malleable to whatever Memphis needs. He will never be mistaken for an offensive dynamo, but he is a strong rebounder who defends his position well and is an all-around contributor when given opportunity.
The floor is high with Konchar - almost nightly you know exactly what you will get. But the Grizzlies need to gain ground in the Western Conference playoff picture. And while the role filled by Konchar is important, it's time he returns to that. A Spencer/Williams Jr./Caldwell-Pope/Aldama/Landale reserve unit has real potential to help Memphis not just hold form while starters rest, but perhaps even build leads.
One of the best benches in the NBA can get even better. And if Ja, or someone else, misses time again, Konchar will be ready.