Five questions on the state of the Memphis Grizzlies, Ja Morant & more

What's going on with the Memphis Grizzlies?

What are the short-term goals and longterm plans for this team?

Grizzlies On SI brought in local Memphis Grizzlies analyst Parker Fleming to answer a few questions on what's going on in Memphis.

Five Questions on The State of the Memphis Grizzlies

Morant layup — Dec 30, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives to the basket as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and guard VJ Edgecombe (77) defend during overtime at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

What's the most important question Memphis needs to answer in 2026?

The most important question the Grizzlies need answered in 2026 is, 'can the Grizzlies get a substantial sample with Ja Morant and Zach Edey?'

The two players have played a quarter together this season due to Edey’s ankle injury and various ailments for Morant.

For a pick-and-roll heavy system, they need the paint-touch point guard and the bruising screener with skyscraper roll gravity — given the personnel they have on their roster.

If the Grizzlies can answer this question and draw its conclusions, they can get a better understanding of how to build their team going forward.

Which direction should this Grizzlies team be aiming for between competing for a playoff spot versus taking the foot off the gas for the draft in a strong class?

I’m all for competing for a playoff spot.

They won’t catch the Indiana, New Orleans (Atlanta), Sacramento, and Washington. It’s foreseeable to see Utah, Brooklyn, and Dallas let their foot off the gas. If they get healthy enough, they’ll win games. Besides, the Grizzlies are likely not catching them.

In addition, I’m always an advocate for young players getting valuable reps, especially when you have a win-now core with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

I’m not too worried about the draft positioning. The lottery odds are flatter, and the Grizzlies could look to package those picks to move up into the top 8.

What should the Grizzlies do with Ja Morant? With fans supporting Ja as the resident face of Memphis, does Morant mean more to Memphis than other teams, and how does that play a role in trade talks?

It’s a tricky spot to navigate. I don’t envy them, because it’s very complex.

There is the “resident face of Memphis” talk, as people associate Morant with the Grizzlies — at least in this decade. His value in Memphis may be higher than the trade value, if the Trae Young market is an indication.

His play has also regressed, and health could be a factor.

However, he’s shown this magnetism with his game that’s hard to deny when he’s rolling — a star truly capable of taking over games. He can find his groove, as his close to the 2024-25 season is a clear indication he’s not in the midst of a drastic fall-off, but the sample they build this season could answer the question.

How has Coach Iisalo’s style gelled with this cast of players, is this relationship sustainable between the stars and coach?

Iisalo has been pretty good, and I’m higher on him than most.

Fans get irritated with his substitution patterns and rotations, and while it may go against the grain compared to most coaches, it’s a common complaint most fans have with their coaches.

He’s been good experimenting with his lineups. He was quick to replace a veteran in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with Cedric Coward in the starting lineup, and he’s found production in players like Cam Spencer and Vince Williams Jr. in the absence of Morant (sporadically), Ty Jerome, and Scotty Pippen Jr.

The biggest thing is how he’s unlocked this dominant two-way version of Zach Edey, which was a problem with last year’s team. He has growing pains to work through, but he’s had an unstable road with the injuries.

With the relationship between the stars and coach, it seems to be solid right now. Morant and Iisalo visibly communicate a lot more, so I’ll take it as a good sign.

What's going on with Jaren Jackson Jr. this season; has he taken a step back, is he hurt, is he being misused in his role?

Jaren Jackson Jr. is slowly coming back around as a two-way All-Star caliber player.

The rebounding and fouls remain a problem, but he’s back to swatting everything in his vicinity and to identifying mismatches offensively.

He did have offseason surgery on a turf toe, and ensuring he was back for the opener could’ve played a role in his early season struggles.

In addition, both Jackson and Iisalo had to figure out the most optimal usage in the system. It seems like they’ve found something to work with.

How impressive has the young core of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, and Jaylen Wells been in their roles? Is that collection of talent enough to keep competing without tanking?

It’s been incredible.

Zach Edey looks like a legitimate anchor to a strong defense, and he poses so many problems with his sheer size on both ends of the floor.

Wells looks like a quintessential 3-and-D player who takes on the toughest defensive assignments, but he also has this craft and mid-range game that are nice — even if his handle isn’t great.

Coward is such an efficient offensive player that can take on various defensive roles because of his 7’2” wingspan. I’m optimistic about his projection as a 20-PPG scorer, as he averaged roughly 14 points per game on nearly 60 percent true shooting, even though he shot less than 30 percent from three. He can legitimately score in three levels with his athleticism, budding handle, and repeatable shots. In the process, he’s shown he can find looks for his teammates too — 2.9 assists against 1.6 turnovers per game.

They will likely need to add another strong prospect or two, but they do have something with that trio of young players.