James O’Dwyer (@ODwyer1010)
The Grit and Grind era in Memphis officially ended this past summer when the last piece of the ‘Core Four’, Mike Conley, was traded to the Utah Jazz. It seems like just yesterday the Grindhouse was filled with yellow towels being waved in support, as Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Conley battled it out for their city. In order to move on from the most successful era of Grizzlies basketball, the organisation was tasked with building a new culture and identity. This resulted in the hiring of new coach Taylor Jenkins and drafting rookie sensation Ja Morant, and fantasy basketball gem Brandon Clarke. Canadian sharpshooter Dillon Brooks remains the only Grizzly left from the opening night 2018/19 roster, so a lot has changed in the last 12 months. This year will be full of experimentation and growth for the young Grizz, but there is plenty to be excited about. Especially those Vancouver throwbacks.
The Electrifying Play of Ja Morant
Ja Morant has arguably already drawn more eyes to the Grizzlies than any player before him. The second overall pick in the 2019 draft already has an impressive NBA resume: Incredible dunks, out-of-this-world passes and even a crazy game winner. His style consists of a wild blend of athletics, crafty handles and lightning-fast reaction time that has resulted in him carving up defences and opening up easy scoring opportunities for his offence. He has it all - floaters, hang-time layups, a decent three-point shot and of course the ability to slam it home over an unlucky defender.
Morant is currently the front-runner for many for the 2019/20 Rookie of the Year, posting 18.6/3.2/6.4 on 46/41/77 shooting splits. This seems sustainable, as Bickerstaff has even been managing his minutes since the start of the season. Ja is way too skinny at the moment, but still makes finishing at the ring seem easy, so when he puts on more muscle, he could become even more lethal. Morant is also quickly developing chemistry with others on the team, and it is starting to become clear who is part of the future of Grizzlies basketball, and who may be left behind as they look forward to playoffs in the next few years.
The Incredibly Efficient Brandon Clarke
In my opinion, the Grizzlies won the 2019 draft. Ja is on pace to be a lock for ROY, but his teammate, 6’8 forward from Vancouver, Brandon Clarke, isn’t far behind. In fact, he leads all rookies in rebounds. Averaging 11.8/5.9/1.3 on 63/45/83 shooting splits along with 1 block, Clarke has had a super-efficient start to the season, and was in the elusive 50/40/90 club until recently. Despite not having a long wingspan by NBA standards, Clarke’s vertical, IQ and positioning allow him to swat away the opposition with ease. He is always diving to the rim after setting high screens, and is constantly active on the glass, ready to jam it back or secure another offensive possession. He has great touch around the hoop, using floaters and push shots to score over taller defenders after beating them off the dribble. Whilst Clarke is usually at a size disadvantage at power-forward, he is still able to speed past his man and put pressure on the help defender. Brandon is also great at leaking out in transition, getting behind the defence and skying for alley-oops.
Clarke is a high energy player, that immediately impacts the game when he is on the court. Unfortunately, he has an ongoing issue that has meant his minutes have been somewhat limited. Hopefully we see more line-ups that feature Clarke, Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. together, as they seem to be the core moving forward.
Is Jaren Jackson Jr Showing Improvement?
Jaren Jackson Jr had a great rookie season for Memphis. He averaged 13.8/4.7/1.1 on 50% shooting, as well as 1.4 blocks per game, and played 58 games before being shut down for the rest of the season due to injury. JJJ started his second season out slow, but has recently posted some high scoring games, and it looks like that trend will continue as he works his way into rhythm. Jaren is attempting five three-point attempts per game this season, and hitting them at a 38% clip, which is terrific for a young stretch big. However, his length and athleticism are tools he can use to tower over other power-forwards in the post, which is something he tends to shy away from. When Jaren does establish low post position, his teammates haven’t done a good job of finding him either. If he is consistently a force downlow and crashes the boards more, it would open up his outside game and lanes for him to drive.
It’s clear when you watch JJJ operate, he is young. He makes mistakes and is often caught out of position when a shot goes up on either end of the court. Due to this, he averages 4.1 personal fouls, and has fouled out in 4 of his 18 games played. But when he does things well, he does them VERY well. He has a nice catch and hook, he shoots with confidence and is practically unstoppable when he gets a run at the hoop against smaller defenders. He, like Clarke, is a high energy player and once he discovers how to fully utilise his strengths, he will be able to block shots and make crucial buckets to secure wins for Memphis in the future. This will take time, and it is important the Grizzlies encourage him to keep trying when he makes mistakes, as they aren’t in win-now mode.
What are the Grizzlies lacking?
Memphis will need to fill out their roster with helpful role-players and savvy vets before they have a shot at making it to the post-season. That is easier said than done for a small market team, but with the electric atmosphere Ja creates, it’s not impossible to see in the near future. Assuming the core of Morant/JJJ/Clarke stays together and continues to improve on both sides of the court, Memphis should become competitive in the West in possibly two to three seasons. Until then, what should they focus on?
They need to start focusing on drafting, developing, signing or trading for a lights out shooter that will help them space the floor and allow for the Grizzlies young core to attack the hoop. It is possible that 6’7 third year guard Dillon Brooks could be that guy. Brooks isn’t having a ‘break out season’ by any metric, but he is shooting 39% from downtown on 4.6 attempts per game. We will have to see how the season pans out, and whether or not Brooks continues or improves upon his current performance, but he lines up with the age group of the young core, so he could be the fourth piece they need. Brooks sometimes doesn’t display the greatest basketball IQ, and can take ill-advised shots, but currently Memphis is the perfect environment for young players to make and learn from mistakes.
Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke are both sidelined at the moment with lingering injuries, but nothing that threatens to be long-term. This year is a project year for the Grizz, to see who plays well together and who won’t be around next year. They have the tendency to play some pretty ugly basketball at times with no true leader being established, especially with Morant off the court. But if you tune into the games, you’ll see flashes of what this Grizz Next Gen could become, and if you’re a long-time fan or just someone that wants to see small markets succeed, it should get you excited.
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