Grizzlies so good, but Ja feels so irrelevant these days. Why?

[uncleduck13]

Ja Morant feels like an afterthought in 2025. Is it because of injuries? Is it because of JJJ surpassing him as team’s best player? What is it? The play is still very much electrifying

[dhsilv2]

Is he even their second best player? I don't watch a lot but the team doesn't feel like it's built around him. He's just a nice bonus in that he's fun to watch and scores.

[meekrab]

Team is stacked with more efficient scorers than Ja so he can coast in the regular season.

[SparksAC]

I believe it's because of the NBA does not want to promote him anymore. The only way for him to get exposure will be for them to be forced to talk about him which will mean he has to propel himself in the top 5.

[BAMAFREAK]

Well it’s mostly from his suspension. The suspension was immediately followed by a shoulder injury that cost him last year. He’s also been hurt a few times this year.
The main reason now is the Grizzlies depth. We have 3 guys nearly averaging 20, then a boatload of guys averaging 10 or so.
The scoring is spread out and neither him JJJ or Bane play enough minutes to accolade hunt.
He also hasn’t really developed his shot enough to be in SGAs league

[The Master]

21-7 on 56TS%, a borderline allstar level-wise, 2nd-best player on Memphis - if someone from Memphis team should get motion, it's Jackson, he's a top10 player this regular season and rarely anyone talk about him as a superstar.

[uncleduck13]

Is he even their second best player? I don't watch a lot but the team doesn't feel like it's built around him. He's just a nice bonus in that he's fun to watch and scores.

Good question. Maybe it’s the fact he’s been away so much over past 2 years to where they’ve had to reconstruct their entire offense and identity around JJJ.

Ja for sure feels like a bonus more than a focal point

[HMFFL]

Ja has found his place and peace. He has depth around him, he's averaging 20ppg, and a career high in steals. He must stay healthy and during the postseason he can do more if he wants.

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[Ito]

Prolly Arenas treatment but it’s different times so he’s still in the league on good behavior type ish

And there are better/other stories out West, Nuggets/Jokic, the Westbrook addition the Murray disappearance.. thunder/Shai, Mavs getting Kyrie now trading Luka, etc

[dhsilv2]

Is he even their second best player? I don't watch a lot but the team doesn't feel like it's built around him. He's just a nice bonus in that he's fun to watch and scores.

Good question. Maybe it’s the fact he’s been away so much over past 2 years to where they’ve had to reconstruct their entire offense and identity around JJJ.

Ja for sure feels like a bonus more than a focal point

Even a step back from that. I know their offense is good but their defense still feels like kinda their calling card. And Ja isn't a factor there either.

[Chuck Everett]

He just hasn't improved enough (specifically his body IMO) to be a superstar player. Guy's fragile as a china doll.

[OkcSinceSGA]

It's crazy that just 2 years ago many thought he would be better than SGA. But yea, I was thinking about this yesterday. Memphis is a really good team this year, but Ja kind of disappeared in terms of hype and news. I haven't followed them closely enough to know nuances of who is their best player now etc, but seems many of you are saying he's now their 2nd or 3rd best? What's the order of their top 3 players now??

[uncleduck13]

It's crazy that just 2 years ago many thought he would be better than SGA. But yea, I was thinking about this yesterday. Memphis is a really good team this year, but Ja kind of disappeared in terms of hype and news. I haven't followed them closely enough to know nuances of who is their best player now etc, but seems many of you are saying he's now their 2nd or 3rd best? What's the order of their top 3 players now??

I still have him as number 2 behind Jackson Jr…but the gap is monumental when you factor defense.

JJJ


Ja
Bane

[JustBuzzin]

Ja Morant feels like an afterthought in 2025. Is it because of injuries? Is it because of JJJ surpassing him as team’s best player? What is it? The play is still very much electrifying

Because he's doing what everyone told him to do.

Staying off social media, staying out of trouble, just playing basketball. Amazing how when you do positive things it gets ignored. Now that he's doing the right things we want the old Ja Wick back.

[JustBuzzin]

Ja Wick was exciting, explosive, superstar, and he had street cred.

Ja Morant is calm, less explosive, and he just wins games while his teammates shine.

Give me Ja Morant!

[OkcSinceSGA]

Ja Morant feels like an afterthought in 2025. Is it because of injuries? Is it because of JJJ surpassing him as team’s best player? What is it? The play is still very much electrifying

Because he's doing what everyone told him to do.

Staying off social media, staying out of trouble, just playing basketball. Amazing how when you do positive things it gets ignored. Now that he's doing the right things we want the old Ja Wick back.

Well I think it's also production though. He was like a 26-27 ppg player 3 years ago. Wow... it was already 4 years since his best season so far. He's only 25. Is he gonna have a Serge Ibaka type arch where he randomly peaks at like 21-22? He was also the NBA's most electrifying player a couple years ago. IMO more so than Anthony Edwards.

[JustBuzzin]

Ja Morant feels like an afterthought in 2025. Is it because of injuries? Is it because of JJJ surpassing him as team’s best player? What is it? The play is still very much electrifying

Because he's doing what everyone told him to do.

Staying off social media, staying out of trouble, just playing basketball. Amazing how when you do positive things it gets ignored. Now that he's doing the right things we want the old Ja Wick back.

Well I think it's also production though. He was like a 26-27 ppg player 3 years ago. Wow... it was already 4 years since his best season so far. He's only 25. Is he gonna have a Serge Ibaka type arch where he randomly peaks at like 21-22? He was also the NBA's most electrifying player a couple years ago. IMO more so than Anthony Edwards.

Didn't he have a highlight dunk just weeks ago? He also said he's laying off the dunking for good reason he always gets hurt from his reckless style.

I just see a guy taking a backseat and it's leading to team success. His numbers are fine if they are winning. Now if he had these stats and they were losing you would have a point.

[Doctor MJ]

Ja Morant feels like an afterthought in 2025. Is it because of injuries? Is it because of JJJ surpassing him as team’s best player? What is it? The play is still very much electrifying

I think the big thing here is that the Grizz are doing something new on offense, and not just new for them:

Watch on YouTube

Beyond that, with JJJ being able to score like he is now while also being the defensive anchor, JJJ simply is the most valuable regular season player on the team.

Now the question is really about the playoffs. Will this new approach scale to the playoffs? Will they need Ja to bail them out with hero play in the playoffs? We'll see.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Because he's doing what everyone told him to do.

Staying off social media, staying out of trouble, just playing basketball. Amazing how when you do positive things it gets ignored. Now that he's doing the right things we want the old Ja Wick back.

Well I think it's also production though. He was like a 26-27 ppg player 3 years ago. Wow... it was already 4 years since his best season so far. He's only 25. Is he gonna have a Serge Ibaka type arch where he randomly peaks at like 21-22? He was also the NBA's most electrifying player a couple years ago. IMO more so than Anthony Edwards.

Didn't he have a highlight dunk just weeks ago? He also said he's laying off the dunking for good reason he always gets hurt from his reckless style.

I just see a guy taking a backseat and it's leading to team success. His numbers are fine if they are winning. Now if he had these stats and they were losing you would have a point.

Well my problem with it... is it puts a ceiling on Memphis. Them morphing into the 2010 Atlanta Hawks type team= 2nd round exit at best. You cannot win really in the NBA without a clear, reliable 1A superstar. The Celtics last year kind of defied that, but that's because they have two guys that are borderline of that (Tatum overall is that guy, but in the playoffs hasn't been consistently yet)... and they had astronomical shooting, low turnovers and stupid depth.

JJJ as great as he is, I still think is more ideally slotted as a high end #2 option. I don't see him being a reliable offensive engine for an entire deep playoff run when teams actively work on locking him up. So 2 years ago the reason for being high on Memphis if you were was a very deep, young, elite defense.. with a clear 1A superstar emerging in Ja that logically you'd expect to get to a top 10 player level. But his backslide individually for the better of the team (arguably) may actually lower their ceiling, even if it raised the floor.

[Beethoven]

Has been irrelevant for awhile yes.

Dont go flashing firearms in public, I mean, cmon be an adult. Grow up.