Man, we were tied for the 2nd worst record in 2019, and dropped down to 6th, while Memphis moved from 8th to 2nd.
Just imagine if we would have gotten Morant how good our PG position would look for a long time.
I have a feeling we'd still be really good right now. Not as good as we are, but more solidified for the future. We really have had a lot of bad luck over the years.
The Grizzlies play with a steely toughness and unselfishness that flows from Morant. He is a star in the most traditional sense: a supernova with a zeal for highlight dunks and a snarling confidence.
"He goes so fast sometimes, I can't even really process what he's seeing," Jenkins says.
In his third NBA start, Morant tied a game against the Brooklyn Nets on a layup with seven seconds remaining, blocked Kyrie Irving's jumper at the end of regulation, and screamed and flexed in celebration -- a brazen, fearless declaration: I am here. I back down from no one.
"Basketball skills are basketball skills," Valanciunas says. "If you have talent, and you're working, you'll improve. But Ja is a warrior. He's always locked in. He plays hurt. He has that light in his eyes, and that's what you have to have."
"I don't care who I'm going against," Morant says. "I'm going to be me, and I'm going to prove myself."
But Morant doesn't play like he cares about the trappings of superstardom -- about bending the Grizzlies to his will, controlling the ball, controlling the franchise. He is happy to get off the ball and let others cook, and in those instances, he weaponizes his speed as a cutter -- something you don't say about many 21-year-old star point guards. It was not an accident that his signature almost-highlight of the first round -- an audacious attempt to dunk over Rudy Gobert -- came off a give-and-go with Kyle Anderson.
Even in transition, Morant will often slow down and let waves of players cascade over him -- knowing someone will pop open trailing the play. He could run Valanciunas out of the offense, but instead makes sure to feed him.
"I don't really care about scoring too much," Morant says.
He is an advanced playmaker for a second-year point guard -- a master of pass fakes and lookaways. Morant manipulates defenses. During free throws and timeouts, he and Jenkins huddle about what they are seeing. "Our dialogue has gone up another level," Jenkins says.
Against the Jazz, the Grizzlies experimented with stashing Valanciunas in the corner and having a wing screen for Morant -- a method of removing Gobert from the action. Morant suggested having Valanciunas creep in from the baseline as Morant drove -- and for a shooter to slash down into the corner to replace Valanciunas. "Sometimes, I'm like, 'Holy crap,'" Jenkins says. "This is the next layer."
It's early days, but Morant appears to be the kind of franchise player who inspires teammates -- who makes them want to play for him, and with him.
"We have the makings," Jenkins says, "of a very special player."
