Three New Year's resolutions for Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

The team is going into the new calendar year hovering around .500.

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo talks with guard Ja Morant. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies are saying goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026 in need of making some changes around the organization.

Some members of the Memphis Grizzlies On SI staff spoke about the resolutions the team should be looking to make ahead of the new year.

Ethan J. Skolnick

The Grizzlies need to resolve to choose a direction. This has been Ja Morant's team for a while, with Jaren Jackson Jr., in support, but others have been more impactful to the winning stretches this season, starting with Zach Edey but also including Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells and even Cam Spencer. Can Morant pilot the Grizzlies to greater heights? Or does he hold them back? Answering that question will help the Grizzlies keep the most important resolution -- moving out of the middle.

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. looks for a foul call during the first half. | Peter Creveling-Imagn Images

Jeremy Brener

The Grizzlies need to get healthy. It's as simple as that. The team has had numerous injuries all year long, and it seems like they have never been at 100 percent throughout the season. When the Grizzlies are fully healthy, there is a potential contender there. The Grizzlies can figure it all out, but it's been difficult with so many players out of the lineup.

Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. haven't even played a game this season, and Zach Edey is dealing with another long-term injury of his own in the frontcourt. Ultimately, we don't know how far this Grizzlies team can go because they haven't been able to play yet together this season. They need to figure out what they are able to do as a team before figuring out what changes need to be made in the offseason.

Tony Mejia

Ensuring Zach Edey continues to develop without putting too much mileage on his massive frame tops the priority list for Memphis. The Grizzlies front office owes it to their fan base to commit to Ja Morant long-term if they're not successful in moving him by the trade deadline since you don't want to play with people's feelings when it comes to their favorite player. Tuomas Iisalo needs to prove he can beat quality opponents, so qualifying for the play-in is a must.

The Grizzlies' final game of the calendar year comes against Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. CT inside the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Fans can watch the game on NBC or stream it on Peacock.

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