Grizzlies’ Ja Morant reveals Memphis’ brutally honest mindset

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are currently preparing for the upcoming 2024-25 season, which begins on October 23. Morant missed most of the 2023-24 season with an injury that, combined with several other injuries, made for a bit of a lost season for the Grizzlies.

However, there is optimism that the Grizzlies can re-establish themselves as Western Conference contenders this year with a fully healthy and intact roster.

One person putting a lot of pressure on himself and his teammates to perform this year is Morant himself, who recently spoke at media day about his prospects for the upcoming campaign.

“We all feel like we haven’t done it yet,” Morant said, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN on X (formerly Twitter).

Morant would be right in his assessment.

While the Grizzlies were an exciting young team from 2021-2023, the team never really achieved much NBA playoff prominence beyond a second-round playoff appearance in 2022, where they were sent home by the Golden State Warriors.

The 2023 season, the last time we saw Memphis healthy, ended with a six-game sack for the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, even though the Grizzlies finished second and the Lakers finished seventh.

What is the Grizzlies’ ceiling?

On paper, there’s a lot to like about the Grizzlies.

Morant remains one of the most electrifying players in the NBA, able to carry the team on his back at times and put constant pressure on opposing defenses with his athleticism and explosiveness.

Desmond Bane can only improve his standing in the league as he is already one of the better scorers in the NBA. Then there’s Marcus Smart, a somewhat forgotten acquisition who also missed most of last season due to injury, but is still just a few years removed from winning a (highly questionable) Defensive Player of the Year with the Boston Celtics.

Jaren Jackson Jr. he remains one of the best shot-blockers in the league and has a more unique offensive weapon capable of torching defenses anywhere from one foot to 20 feet from the basket.

If you combine all of these elements and a bit of luck on the defensive end, the Grizzlies could be one of the top teams in the Western Conference again this year, despite improvements in the teams around them.

The season in Memphis will start on October 23 with a match against the Utah Jazz.