Grizzlies Notes: Jackson, Morant, Brooks, Edey, Konchar

In an interview with Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. discusses adjusting to Tuomas Iisalo‘s offensive system, signing a lucrative long-term extension last offseason, playing with Ja Morant, and more. Rookie forward Cedric Coward has credited Jackson with being a veteran mentor, according to Medina.

“I just tell him what I see and what I’ve seen over the years,” Jackson said of Coward. “I tell him not to be hard on himself. If you just put in the work, it’s going to show. If you just stay with it, stay consistent and don’t get too high or low, that’s things that I’ve learned from other people. I tell him a lot of stuff.”

Jackson also reacted to the news that Morant is on the trading block following Friday’s one-point loss to Oklahoma City, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

“I feel for him. That’s my brother. … No matter what, he changed my life coming here,” Jackson said of Morant.

Here’s more from Memphis:

• Iisalo says Morant’s recent absences aren’t related to trade rumors, according to Cole (Twitter link). The 26-year-old point guard will miss his fifth straight game on Sunday due to a right calf contusion. “Strictly based on the injury,” Iisalo said of Morant.
• Suns forward Dillon Brooks returned to Memphis on Wednesday for his latest rematch against his former team. After Phoenix cruised to a lopsided victory, the 30-year-old wing said the Grizzlies made a mistake by moving on from some of their former starters, Cole writes for The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I just think they moved too fast,” he said. “Especially when I was there and Des(mond Bane) was there and (Steven Adams) was there. I think (the Grizzlies) moved too fast, trying to be (inventive) too fast and it kind of bit them in the butt a little bit.”
• Second-year center Zach Edey, who is recovering from a stress reaction in his left ankle, has been away from the team in recent days consulting with medical specialists, but he’ll be traveling with the team for the upcoming trip to Europe, per Iisalo (Twitter link via Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian). Iisalo added that the team would provide an update on Edey soon, though he didn’t know exactly when. The Grizzlies face the Magic in Berlin, Germany on Thursday and play them again next Sunday in London, England.
• Veteran wing John Konchar, who has been out since December 7 due to a thumb injury which required surgery, was upgraded to available for Sunday’s contest vs. Brooklyn, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).