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Ja Morant Reacts to Grizzlies' Big NBA Free Agency Signing

The Memphis Grizzlies have made a big new signing

Joey Linn

Dec 21, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at FedExForum.
Dec 21, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at FedExForum. / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
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The Memphis Grizzlies have not made any major external roster additions this summer outside of the NBA Draft, but this is primarily because their biggest improvement will come from getting healthy. Star point guard Ja Morant played just nine games last season, but he was not the only key Grizzlies player to miss time.

Because the Grizzlies feel they are one of the best teams in the NBA when healthy, their offseason has been focused on marginal moves and retaining their own free agents. The biggest name on this list was sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard, who had a $14M team option the Grizzlies declined, but Memphis has since re-signed him to a one-year, $11M deal.

Reacting to this big news, Morant sent out a post on X:

Kennard is one of the NBA's best shooters, and has been far and away the league's most accurate shooter the last several seasons. Since the 2020-21 season, 115 players have attempted at least 1,000 threes. Among those players, Kennard's 45.9% clip ranks first in the NBA, and by a significant margin. The next closest player is Grayson Allen who owns a 41.9% clip in that span.

This floor spacing is especially beneficial to Morant, as his downhill attack needs shooters like Kennard to give him driving lanes and options to pass to. In the 2023 playoffs, the duo of Morant and Kennard posted a 35.8 net rating in their 55 minutes together, which was unfortunately a small sample size due to injuries to both players. That said, the paring has had success, which is why Morant is excited to see Kennard back.

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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