Jaren Jackson Jr. Says Grizzlies Will Have to 'Navigate' Ja Morant Suspension
Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. knows the start of the 2022-23 season is going to be an unusual one for his team since star point guard Ja Morant is suspended for 25 games.
"We just gotta navigate it," Jackson said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
"Obviously, we know that not having Ja is a real big hole to fill, but, you know, he's not, it's not like he's not gonna be around. He's gonna give us all the tools to be able to get that done."
The NBA suspended Morant in June for "conduct detrimental to the league" after he had already been suspended for eight games in March. He must "meet certain conditions" in order to return to the court and cannot participate in preseason games.
The first suspension came after video appeared to show him with a gun in a Denver nightclub, while the second one came after the guard posed with what appeared to be a gun in a car during a livestream.
Morant released a statement after the longer suspension that said, in part, "to all my fans, I'm going to make it up to you, I promise."
As for the outlook of the actual team, the Grizzlies may be able to tread water if last season is any indication. They went 11-10 in 2022-23 without the two-time All-Star on the floor, which is a major reason they finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference at 51-31.
Memphis will also have a new face to help pick up the slack in the backcourt while Morant is suspended.
It traded for three-time All-Defensive selection Marcus Smart this offseason, which should help on both sides of the floor. He is also a playoff-tested veteran who has played in NBA Finals games, so taking on additional responsibilities with Morant out shouldn't be too daunting of a task.
"Oh, it's dope," Jackson said of the Grizzlies adding Smart.
"I texted him already. It's great to have someone like that who can play both ends, who's been in a championship environment. We know what he brings to a team, that passion, that heart, and he knows a lot about the game as well. His mind is gonna be working great for the locker room, all that type of stuff. So, great addition."
It won't be all up to Smart if the Grizzlies are going to "navigate" Morant's absence.
Jackson taking another step in his sixth season would go a long way toward elevating Memphis' ceiling after he averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game during an excellent campaign in 2022-23.
