Ja Morant

Southwest Notes: KD, Sengun, Bey, Zion, Mavs, Morant, Edey, Coward

November 18th, 2025 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

When Fred VanVleet tore his ACL prior to training camp, it raised questions about how the Rockets would function without a veteran point guard on the court to organize the offense. However, VanVleet’s absence hasn’t slowed down Houston’s attack at all through the season’s first four weeks — Houston ranks first in the NBA with an offensive rating of 123.4.

As William Guillory of The Athletic writes, the offseason addition of forward Kevin Durant, the ongoing improvement of center Alperen Sengun, and the chemistry quickly formed between that duo have been major factors in the Rockets’ success so far. Durant recently told Guillory that he has never played with a big man who can “dominate in the post” the way that Sengun does. Sengun, meanwhile, said he has “never played with so much space in my life” thanks to the defensive attention that Durant commands.

While Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard have handled their increased on-ball responsibilities admirably in the wake of VanVleet’s injury, the Rockets are frequently running their offense through Sengun, who is operating as something of a “point center,” Guillory writes. The big man is leading the team with 7.4 assists per game, as he and Durant look to take advantage of defenses keying on them by getting their teammates involved — the rest of the Rockets are shooting 48.8% from the floor so far this season.

“We know teams are going to go after Kevin quite a bit. Alpi in the pocket is a great decision-maker and scorer. We invite the double-teams and let Alpi play with the numbers behind it,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “It’s a good thing for us. Alpi gets doubled in the post; KD gets doubled on the perimeter. It opens up shots for everyone else. The chemistry between those guys is really growing.”

We have more from around the Southwest:

Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey missed a game for the first time this season on Monday, having been ruled out of the second end of a back-to-back set due to a sprained left ankle (Twitter link). He was originally listed as questionable, as was forward Zion Williamson, who ultimately sat for an eight straight game. Those initial injury designations suggest that Williamson is close to returning and that Bey shouldn’t be out long.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who has been without multiple rotation players in every game this season, expressed some frustration on Monday over the team’s ongoing injury issues, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “Our health is a big problem,” Kidd said. “We have guys out for one game and then they’re in and on minute restrictions. There’s no continuity. There won’t be any continuity. We’re trying to piece this thing together, and give those guys in that locker room credit. They’re fighting, and it’s just what it is right now until we can get healthy.”
While rival teams are wondering whether the struggling Grizzlies might consider blowing up their roster, the messaging out of Memphis is that the team has no interest in taking that route and remains committed to building around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Even if the Grizzlies change their minds and make Morant available, Fischer doesn’t view the Timberwolves as a logical trade partner, given Minnesota’s lack of draft assets and the fact that the Wolves would have to give up at least one valuable starter for salary-matching purposes.
Center Zach Edey, who recently returned from ankle surgery, and forward Cedric Coward, who has been dealing with some foot soreness, were both on minutes restrictions on Saturday, according to Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Both players logged about 25 minutes. “It’s a challenging situation, because both guys have done a great job for us, we like to play them a lot and both are starting for us,” Iisalo said, per Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. “But at the same time, we have to be smart because their future is also very important for us. So, we’re making sure we make good decisions right here, especially with those two guys.”

Ja Morant Out At Least Two Weeks Due To Calf Strain

November 17th, 2025 at 12:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has a Grade 1 right calf strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team’s PR department tweets.

Morant injured his calf on Saturday during the team’s road game at Cleveland. He played just six minutes in that contest, then underwent an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

It’s just the latest development in what has already been a tumultuous season for Morant. He had been dealing with right ankle soreness prior to the calf strain.

Trade speculation surrounding Morant began a couple of weeks ago after he had a disagreement with the coaching staff during a loss to the Lakers. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo reportedly confronted Morant about his effort level and focus during halftime and following the game, and Morant expressed frustration over Iisalo’s unorthodox substitution pattern.

The situation has been calmer since Morant returned from a one-game team suspension. The Timberwolves are one of the teams reportedly keeping an eye on Morant, who is in the third season of a five-year extension worth $197.2MM. He’s averaging 17.9 points, his lowest output since his rookie year, and 7.6 assists.

Morant has gained a reputation of being susceptible to injuries. He hasn’t appeared in more than 61 games in any of the past four seasons. He served an NBA suspension to open the 2023/24 campaign, then appeared in only nine games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He was limited to 50 games last season.

Given the timeline of his last injury, Morant will miss a minimum of eight games, beginning with a nationally televised game against San Antonio on Tuesday.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Edey, Finney-Smith, Davis

November 15th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant left Saturday’s game in Cleveland midway through the first quarter due to soreness in his right calf, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Returning to the court after missing Wednesday’s contest at Boston due to an ankle injury, Morant was only able to play six minutes against the Cavs, finishing with seven points and two assists. Vardon states that he was jogging gingerly on Memphis’ final possession before being removed.

Coach Tuomas Iisalo told reporters after the game that he’s not sure which play caused Morant’s injury, relays Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter link). Morant is expected to undergo further testing, and likely an MRI, when the team gets back to Memphis.

Vince Williams Jr., who took over lead guard duties when Morant exited, turned his ankle late in the first half, per Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link), but he was able to return. The Grizzlies are low on point guards with Ty Jerome yet to make his season debut due to a right calf strain and Scotty Pippen Jr. recovering from toe surgery.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Zach Edey played nearly 25 minutes in his first game of the season and finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Grizzlies center is happy that the long recovery process following ankle surgery in June is finally over (Twitter video link from Grind City Media). “It felt good. I’ve been waiting all season,” Edey said. “My legs felt better than I expected. My wind, I didn’t really catch it until like the third quarter. I felt good out there.” Iisalo was happy with the performance of his new starting lineup featuring Edey and rookie forward Cedric Coward (Twitter video link). “Overall I like that lineup,” he said. “It gives us a lot of length, a lot of defense, a lot of physicality. Even though we lost today, I thought overall there were a lot of positives.”
The Rockets‘ depth took a hit with Tari Eason sidelined four-to-six weeks with an oblique strain, and it doesn’t appear that Dorian Finney-Smith will be able to help any time soon, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. The free agent addition is still recovering from offseason surgery on his left ankle and hasn’t been cleared for contact drills.
The Mavericks are listing Anthony Davis as doubtful for Sunday’s meeting with Portland, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who points out that Davis has been considered questionable for the past few games. Davis has missed the last eight games with a left calf strain, and Stein notes (via Twitter) that he’s already been surpassed in career minutes as a Maverick by rookie forward Cooper Flagg.

Injury Notes: Edey, Coward, Poole, Dort, Eason, Oubre

November 14th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Second-year center Zach Edey could make his season debut on Saturday. He has been listed as questionable for the matchup in Cleveland, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).

As Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes, the Grizzlies are reeling, with seven losses in their past eight games and a 4-9 record on the season. The team is looking forward to having the former Purdue star back in the middle.

“He brings a lot,” head coach Tuomas Iisalo said of Edey. “He’s a tremendous finisher around the rim, and he also has a gravitational pull that forces defenders to have to help.”

Edey has been steadily ramping up his activity after undergoing ankle surgery in June, which prevented him from participating in training camp and the preseason. Iisalo cautioned that there will be an adjustment period for the 7’4″ big man once he returns, Wallace adds.

“He’s a tremendous rebounder on both ends, which is a huge benefit,” Iisalo assessed. “He’s a high-level rim protector, and having both him and Jaren (Jackson Jr.) as our twin towers out there worked really well for us last year. He’s also a second-year player who had an operation five months ago. So, it will be a gradual process to bring him along and we just have to stay true to our process.”

After missing Wednesday’s game in Boston due to a right ankle injury, point guard Ja Morant will be active on Saturday, but standout rookie wing Cedric Coward is doubtful to suit up due to right foot soreness, per the team.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

While Pelicans guard Jordan Poole is making “good progress” in his recovery from a mild left quad strain, he’ll miss at least one more week, which is the next time he’ll be reexamined, the team today announced in a press release (Twitter link). Poole is in his first season with New Orleans, having been acquired in an offseason trade with Washington.
Thunder wing Luguentz Dort, who has missed the past five games with a right upper trap strain, has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game at Charlotte, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. The 26-year-old forward could hit free agency next summer, depending on what the Thunder do with Dort’s $18.2MM team option for 2026/27. The Montreal native was named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2024/25.
Impending restricted free agent Tari Eason suffered a right hip contusion in Friday’s matchup against Portland and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, according to the Rockets (Twitter link via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). Eason, a 24-year-old forward, entered Friday’s game averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds on .517/.531/.714 shooting (24.5 minutes per contest).
Sixers forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason, exited Friday’s loss in Detroit with a hyperextended left knee and did not return, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (via Twitter). After a 4-0 start, the 76ers have cooled off of late, dropping five of their past eight games.

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Morant, Zion, Mavs, Sheppard

November 13th, 2025 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies lost for the seventh time in eight games on Wednesday, suffering a 36-point blowout defeat at the hands of the Celtics. Memphis made just 33.7% of its shots from the floor while allowing Boston to convert at a 50.5% clip. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged after the game that the discrepancy in field goal percentage was a reason for the loss, but he was unhappy with his team’s overall effort, according to Jay King of The Athletic.

“I would say this: One way to lose is not to make shots,” Iisalo said. “Today we struggled a lot, even with open three-pointers. We couldn’t convert underneath the basket. At the same time, their shot-making was at a relatively high level. That’s all good. That’s part of basketball. It happens sometimes. The fact that today the Celtics were the things that we aspire to be — faster than the other team, harder working, better organized — that’s a tough pill to swallow as a coach, and I think it should be for all of our guys.

“… You can lose games,” Iisalo added. “That’s part of basketball. But to go away from your identity or the things that we know produce wins, that’s something that we must correct right away.”

The Grizzlies, who are still playing without big men Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke, were also extremely shorthanded in the backcourt on Wednesday. With ball-handlers Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Javon Small all unavailable, Vince Williams Jr. earned the start at point guard. Still, Iisalo didn’t want to use those injuries as an excuse for his team’s performance.

“We got bullied on the boards,” the Grizzlies’ coach said. “I think we gave up almost 40 second-chance points against a team that’s not particularly big or bigger than us. Transition game, that’s one thing, but in the half court we were late for several actions, unable to communicate or arrive with the ball. Basic things. It started out early, obviously, with two early timeouts. And we then had stretches, but nothing consistent.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Although there has been some tension between them in recent weeks, Iisalo said that it has been “great” coaching Morant since he joined the Grizzlies last season, according to King. “We have had a lot of dialogue,” Iisalo said. “We see the game in very similar ways. He’s a very intelligent player. He sees things on video; you don’t even have to point it out, he already knows what could have been an option there. And overall it’s just been a pleasure.”
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to resume full-contact, on-court basketball activities, the team announced today (via Twitter). Williamson has been sidelined since November 2 due to a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, but today’s update suggests he’s making progress toward a return.
In the wake of Nico Harrison‘s ouster in Dallas, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports contends that it’s time for the Mavericks to blow up their roster and make virtually all of their veterans available for trade. As O’Connor outlines, Cooper Flagg is the kind of prospect a team can build around, and the Mavs could be in position to add another top prospect in a strong 2026 draft. O’Connor also proposes eight hypothetical Anthony Davis trades, suggesting that Atlanta and Detroit are among the teams that look like potential fits.
Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, who has taken on more responsibilities this season following Fred VanVleet‘s torn ACL, has had his three best performances of the fall within the past week, averaging 17.7 points in 26.7 minutes per game on .645/.619/.855 shooting during that stretch, as Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle writes (subscription required). “That’s the Reed we like to see,” teammate Kevin Durant said on Wednesday after Sheppard scored a season-high 21 points in a win over Washington. “I think these last three games, he’s just playing freely and not thinking too much, playing under control and knocking down shots. It’s a make-or-miss league, so if you continue to work on your game and become efficient, then the rest of the game is pretty easy for you.”

Injury Notes: LeBron, Garland, Sharpe, Morant, Edey

November 12th, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Lakers star LeBron James has been assigned to the G League today in order to practice with the South Bay Lakers, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

James, whose season debut has been delayed while he deals with sciatica on his right side, is being sent to the G League for the first time since he entered the NBA in 2003. The assignment will, of course, be a brief one, giving the 40-year-old an opportunity to take part in his first full practice of the season, including 5-on-5 play, Charania notes.

Charania reported nearly a month ago that James and the Lakers were targeting mid-November for his 2025/26 debut. His progress so far appears to line up with that timeline.

The Lakers, led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, have played well in James’ absence, winning eight of their first 11 games this season.

We have a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

The Cavaliers announced today that point guard Darius Garland has been diagnosed with a contusion on his left great toe after re-injuring that surgically repaired toe in Monday’s game vs. Miami (Twitter link). While Garland will miss Wednesday’s rematch with the Heat, the diagnosis is a best-case scenario for him and the Cavs, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who notes that the team hasn’t ruled out the point guard for any additional games yet. Garland will receive daily treatment and his status will be updated as appropriate, per the club.
Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe sat out on Tuesday vs. Toronto due to what the team referred to as a left glute contusion, but the injury isn’t considered significant, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). “He’s day-to-day, we’re not concerned,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And we want to make sure he feels good and mentally in a good place to be ready to play. So, that’s all good news, and it’s an opportunity for the next man up.” One of those “next men up” could be rookie forward Danny Wolf, who was recalled from the G League before Tuesday’s game and made his second NBA appearance.
While Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is questionable to play on Wednesday vs. the Celtics due to right ankle soreness, center Zach Edey (left ankle surgery recovery) has taken another step toward his season debut, having been upgraded from out to doubtful, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. While he may not play on Wednesday in Boston, Edey could be available for Saturday’s game in Cleveland. “I’ve seen him on the court working out,” teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “I’m excited for him to be back.”

Timberwolves Contacted Grizzlies About Ja Morant

November 10th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have “checked in” with the Grizzlies about a potential Ja Morant trade, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic said in a recent appearance on SiriusXM Radio (Twitter link, hat tip to RealGM).

Krawczynski described the contact as exploratory, saying Minnesota is “testing the waters a little bit” to see if a deal might be available later on. He projects that talks could become more serious if the Wolves haven’t found an answer at point guard by December, saying, “I do think that they could explore at least looking harder at Ja Morant.”

Trade speculation surrounding Morant began to increase nine days ago after he had a disagreement with the coaching staff during a loss to the Lakers. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo reportedly confronted Morant about his effort level and focus during halftime and following the game, and Morant expressed frustration over Iisalo’s unorthodox substitution pattern.

The situation has been calmer since Morant returned from a one-game suspension, but there’s no indication that the dispute has died down. Still, multiple reports indicate the Grizzlies aren’t currently considering a Morant trade and are hoping that any hard feelings can be resolved.

The Timberwolves were cited last week as one of the teams monitoring Morant’s situation in Memphis, and their need for a reliable point guard has been obvious early in the season. Thirty-eight-year-old Mike Conley has been used mainly as a reserve and is averaging career lows with 6.5 points and 3.9 assists per game. Krawczynski points out that Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle have been handling most of the play-making duties.

Tax apron restrictions make it difficult for Minnesota to work out a deal for Morant or any other star player. Because they’re operating above the first apron, the Wolves aren’t permitted to send out more salary than they take back in a trade, and Morant is earning $39.5MM this season.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Morant, W. Green, Edey, Bassey

November 7th, 2025 at 1:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis‘ early-season injury is bringing back memories of the events that led to last season’s Luka Doncic trade, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. Like Doncic, Davis reported to training camp weighing more than usual with a plan to work himself back into shape once the season began. The big man weighed in at 268 pounds for the start of camp, about 15 pounds heavier than last season.

Davis was productive in his first four games, although Clark states that some rival scouts and coaches said he didn’t look as mobile as he used to be. He was forced out of an October 29 game with a left calf strain, which is the same injury that hampered Doncic last season and eventually led to his departure. Davis hasn’t played since then and is listed as doubtful for tonight’s NBA Cup contest against Memphis.

The Mavericks were reluctant to make an investment in Doncic because of concerns about his physical condition, and Clark notes that they’ll soon be facing a similar decision with Davis. He’s owed $58.5MM for 2026/27 and has a $62.8MM player option for the following season. He’ll become eligible for a contract extension next summer and can earn up to $218.5MM by picking up his option and extending for three more years. He’s already 32 with a lengthy injury history, so general manager Nico Harrison will have to determine if he’s more deserving of a long-term deal than Doncic was.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Last week’s blowout between Ja Morant and the Grizzlies‘ coaching staff hasn’t affected his relationship with teammate Jaren Jackson Jr., sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. They remain united in their determination to turn the season around, and general manager Zach Kleiman hasn’t lost confidence in his two stars. Siegel states that there’s no indication that Kleiman has thought about trading Morant, and Morant hasn’t expressed a desire to be dealt. Siegel also hears that Morant received support from several teammates after clashing with coach Tuomas Iisalo over his unorthodox substitution patterns.
An 0-6 start increased speculation about Willie Green’s job security, and the Pelicans‘ front office had “serious internal conversations” about making a change, Siegel adds in the same piece. Controversial decisions may lead to Green’s demise, Siegel states, citing the choice of giving playing time to rookie point guard Jeremiah Fears ahead of Jordan Poole. Sources tell Siegel that the move caused “visible frustration” for Poole and “did not sit right” with some of his teammates. There was also consternation about starting DeAndre Jordan ahead of Yves Missi, who made the All-Rookie team last year, and lead executive Joe Dumars was unhappy early in the season that Derik Queen wasn’t getting enough minutes.
The Grizzlies announced (via Twitter) that they’ve assigned Zach Edey and GG Jackson II to practice with their G League affiliate. Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com notes that Edey has entered the front end of his projected “return-to-play” window following ankle surgery (Twitter link). Wallace adds that Charles Bassey is no longer with the team after his 10-day hardship contract expired on Wednesday.

Latest On Ja Morant

November 7th, 2025 at 8:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Ja Morant‘s skepticism about the unique strategy favored by head coach Tuomas Iisalo was behind the locker room confrontation that led to a one-game suspension last week, Brian Windhorst of ESPN writes in a piece co-authored by Tim Bontemps.

Iisalo, who took over the team late last season when Taylor Jenkins was fired, had success in Europe by playing his lineups three to four minutes at a time and then making mass substitutions to keep everyone fresh and competing at a high energy level. That’s unusual in the NBA, where the bulk of minutes typically go to the best players, and sources tell Windhorst that Morant remains “skeptical” of the approach. Through eight games, he’s posting the lowest shooting percentages of his career at 38.3% from the floor and 14% from three-point range.

“His system is based on having an elite guard who has the ability to get his feet into the paint, and then all his strategy evolves from that. Morant should be a very good fit for it, (Iisalo) was surely excited about that when he got that job,” a European executive told Windhorst. “He is running his system there. But it is not creating the advantages that are expected yet.”

Even with the awkward fit, an immediate trade seems unlikely. Several sources around the league tell Bontemps that Morant is still viewed as a “borderline top-10” point guard, but there aren’t many teams that are looking for a starter at that position. Morant’s off-court issues and the Grizzlies‘ recent downturn haven’t lessened his popularity with Memphis fans, Bontemps notes, and he has stated several times that he enjoys playing in the city.

“He sells shoes, he sells tickets, and he wants to play in Memphis when no one wants to,” a Western Conference assistant coach told Bontemps. “So it makes for a really, really difficult situation.”

ESPN’s findings are consistent with a report this week from Marc Stein, who hears that the team is in no hurry to pursue a Morant trade. The Timberwolves and Kings are rumored to be among the teams keeping an eye on the situation to see if that changes.

If the Grizzlies opt to trade Morant at some point this season, sources around the league are wondering if they might consider parting with Jaren Jackson Jr. as well, Bontemps adds. The team made a huge commitment to Jackson over the summer, maneuvering its roster to renegotiate and extend his contract, resulting in a new five-year deal worth $240MM.

That contract makes him more attractive to small-market teams, Bontemps points out, because they would have the security of knowing he’s signed through 2030. Bontemps compares it to the conditions that prompted Cleveland to deal for Donovan Mitchell and Minnesota to acquire Rudy Gobert.

Jackson has some holes in his game — his low rebounding numbers make it difficult to play him at center and he remains foul prone, averaging 4.4 per game this season — but his ability to space the floor and protect the rim would create a significant trade market if he ever becomes available.

“He’s a perfect complementary guy,” an Eastern Conference scout said, “and he can play just about anywhere.”

Parting with Morant and Jackson would signal a complete rebuild in Memphis, but Bontemps states that this might be the best time to do it with a loaded draft class looming in 2026. The Grizzlies already have two potential lottery picks and could add more draft capital by moving their two stars, giving them a fresh wave of young talent to add to Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward.

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Coward, Vibes

November 6th, 2025 at 9:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Grizzlies are off to a 3-6 start to the season and have already suspended Ja Morant for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.

While rumors have started to circulate about teams keeping an eye on the situation, there’s still no indication that Memphis would consider moving Morant, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line — at least, no indication yet.

“Nobody’s doing seismic, monumental things before 20, 25 games have been played,” an agent told Fischer, who notes that the team is still in the evaluation stage after a significant offseason roster shakeup that included trading Desmond Bane to Orlando for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and four first-round picks.

According to Fischer, indications are that leadership wants to see what head coach Tuomas Iisalo can do with the roster when it’s closer to full strength before making any decisions. Brandon Clarke, Zach Edey, Ty Jerome, and Scotty Pippen Jr. have all missed time to open the season.

We have more from the Grizzlies:

While the Morant situation has been the subject of the most scrutiny, Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s struggles to find his place in the offense have been an important part of the story too, writes Damichael Cole for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Jackson finished with just nine points on six shots in Wednesday’s loss to the Rockets after entering the game averaging the second-lowest field goal attempts since his rookie year. “He got this little trail three he used to get a lot,” said teammate Vince Williams Jr. “He hasn’t been shooting that as much. I think he’s just being over passive, but we need him to score if we want to win, so he’s got to score.”
Iisalo has made it clear that getting Jackson more involved is a priority moving forward, though Cole writes that Morant told the head coach the team’s ability to spread the defense out is also an issue. “It’s not enough space,” Morant said. “We got to make more shots and open up the floor for him.” Jackson, for his part, said that he’s “very confident” that he will return to form soon. “You just got to be aggressive,” Jackson said. “You just got to be in attack mode.”
One of the few bright spots in Memphis so far this season has been the play of rookie Cedric Coward, who was selected with the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft after the Grizzlies traded two of the first-rounders acquired in the Bane deal — including the 16th overall pick that became Yang Hansen — to get him. Coward currently ranks third on the team in scoring, rebounding, and steals, and is second in made three-pointers. However, it doesn’t appear that a promotion to the starting lineup is in the immediate future. “We think about that with all of our players,” Iisalo said when asked about the idea (Twitter link via Cole). “… A lot of times it doesn’t make sense to have, for example, all of your best on-ball creators in the same lineup. His minutes have been steadily going up because of his overall impact. I think that’s the more important thing than like who is starting and who is not.“
There are palpable bad vibes surrounding the team, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo! Sports, and not just related to Morant. Iko writes that after years of boasting an energetic, fun-loving style of play, the team is missing the edge and confidence it once wore on its sleeve. Iisalo is aware of the change. ” It’s very hard to build confidence if you’re consistently losing,” he says. “It’s great to be around other guys when you’re winning, and when it’s losing, it tests you and reveals a lot of that character. We’re losing and it’s being tested and there’s only one way out from there.”
Iko points to a different style of attack after years of playing in Taylor Jenkins‘ scheme as part of the cause. Morant’s attempts at the rim are down and his perimeter shots are up, and the team seems more stagnant at times than it used to. Jackson echoed the sentiment. “The longer you’ve done [something different], it’ll take a little longer than the average person to snap back into something new,” the former Defensive Player of the Year said. “You have to have full belief in it and have to give yourself up for it, full belief that it will work every single time. Otherwise, you’re going to be hesitant. Any little bit of hesitation in professional sports will get you a loss.”

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