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How NBA Star Ja Morant Can Step Up as Leader for the Grizzlies

With Desmond Bane gone, it is time for Ja Morant to step up again
Grant Mona|
Apr 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) walks down the court in the third quarter of game two of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Apr 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) walks down the court in the third quarter of game two of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Memphis Grizzlies

Despite a solid 44-29 record, good for fifth in the Western Conference on March 28th, 2025, the Memphis Grizzlies were struggling down the stretch.

They were 8-11 since the All-Star break and had lost four of their last five games. That is when a significant change unexpectedly came.

The Grizzlies moved on from head coach Taylor Jenkins in an effort to save the energy of their season with only nine games left in the regular season. Interim coach Tomas Iiusalo took over, while the front office wanted to move away from a pick-and-roll heavy offense in favor of a motion-based system.

Memphis ended up dropping to 8th in the Western Conference despite the coaching change and lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in four games in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs.

The Offseason Brings New Expectations

It is no secret that multiple teams in the Western Conference got better. The Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers will all look completely different this upcoming season.

The Memphis Grizzlies should be added to that bunch. In another shocking move for Memphis, they traded longtime backcourt running mate of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, to the Orlando Magic for multiple picks, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cole Anthony.

Many questioned if the move signaled a complete rebuild for the Grizzlies, but Memphis quickly went to work in the offseason.

The Grizzlies re-signed versatile forward Santi Aldama to a three-year $52.5 million contract, added shifty guard Ty Jerome on a three-year, $27.66 million contract, and re-signed guard Cam Spencer to a four-year $10.4 million contract.

Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Are The Future

With Bane gone, the Grizzlies went all in on making superstar guard Ja Morant and All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. their duo of the present and future.

Jackson Jr. signed a five-year, $240 million maximum extension with the Grizzlies to keep him under contract through the 2029-2030 season.

It Is Morant's Time To Deliver

With Jackson Jr. signed, it is time for Morant to become the superstar leader he can be.

It is widely known that Morant has had his fair share of issues off the court, including multiple firearm incidents, which led to a total of a 33-game suspension between 2023 and 2024.

For Morant, it is about staying on the court more than anything.

He played in only 57 games in the 2021-22 season, 61 games in the 2022-23 season, nine games in the 2023-24 season, and 50 games in the 2024-25 season.

Injuries and suspensions have devastated the immense talent that is the two-time All-Star Morant. There is no doubt that he is a breathtaking, electrifying player when he is available, but his inability to play over the course of a season has hurt Memphis.

The Grizzlies' superstar has to become more of a coach on the floor, and as the team's franchise player, his high-flying athleticism and ability to score are the engine that runs the team.

Morant now has several years of NBA experience, and if he takes on more of a mentorship role, it would be paramount to the Grizzlies' success in the gauntlet that is the NBA's Western Conference.

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Grant Mona
GRANT MONA

Grant Mona is a multimedia sports journalist based in Los Angeles, covering multiple teams. He is a co-host and producer on The Sporting Tribune Today on The BET Las Vegas, KIRN 670 in Southern California and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network. He formerly played baseball with the University of the Pacific Tigers.

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