Joe Mullinax here, the host of the daily Locked On Grizzlies podcast, with your daily Locked On Grizzlies newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Grizzlies and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Cautious optimism surrounds Memphis entering the NBA Cup
Nov 10, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Yuki Kawamura (17) acknowledges fans after the Grizzlies defeated 134-89 in the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images|Jaime Valdez/Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
11 games in to the 2023-2024 NBA season, the Memphis Grizzlies were 2-9. Ja Morant was still 14 games from making his season debut. The team felt like a dark cloud was hovering over them - uncertainty abounded and the snowball effect was very real.
Fast forward almost a complete calendar year. 11 games in to the 2024-2025 season, the Memphis Grizzlies are 7-4. Ja Morant has played more, but is once again on the shelf - perhaps for an undetermined amount of time. Despite his absence, there isn’t the same negative energy.
The vibes are not immaculate - yet. But they are better than they were at this point last season.
Entering the needlessly flashy NBA Cup (yes, yes, I know, I am old), the Grizzlies have lots to be excited about. Jaren Jackson Jr. is shining brightly when the team needs him to with both Morant and Desmond Bane out. The team has once again hit on two-way contracts in Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. And Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey are two of the best performing rookies in the entire NBA.
Those are just five of the current Grizzlies players. SEVEN of them scored at least 12 points in the Memphis win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The depth of this team, as spoken on in yesterday’s newsletter, is a reason to be positive about the current state of play in Memphis.
But it goes beyond that. The Grizzlies offense looks to be clicking on multiple levels - something that matters both now and down the road. Half court scoring has been an Achilles’s heel for the roster when the playoffs roll around. Now, in place of stagnant pick and roll, cuts, drives, and movement allow for multiple reads and multiple ways to get players involved in scoring.
Jaren Jackson Jr. as a center is THRIVING at the moment. A long-held dream by many (including yours truly), the salivating possibilities of a 6'11" athlete like JJJ whose three point shooting being inconsistent is more of strength at the “5" than it is at the “4" are endless. And yet, part of the “why” for this development is all the reps he got in the role last season. Jaren went through some lean times with less talented players around him, and those days have led us here.
But take a closer look at this roster. Is it REALLY that different than last year’s crew? Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff were Summer League contributors just four months ago. Now? They’re helping a team in the playoff mix in the loaded Western Conference in ways no one saw coming. Santi Aldama, Jake LaRavia, Jaylen Wells, and Scotty Pippen Jr. are the four leading players in minutes played for the Memphis Grizzlies.
And the team is 7-4.
Frustration is understandable. But when compared to this time last year? The sun is shining more brightly. Bask in the glow, Memphis fans. The warmth feels nice as the NBA Cup approaches.
The second annual NBA In-Season Tournament/much catchier ‘NBA Cup’ begins tonight, kicking off roughly a month of tournament games that fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. Then, we get into the quarterfinals and conference semifinals, the rules of which I am still not 100% clear on and am not ashamed to admit.
The newness of the Cup is what makes people skeptical of it. It’s what made me skeptical of it last season. It’s difficult to introduce new things into competitive ecosystems that seem largely “set”, which is why it happens rarely. My skepticism of the tournament came from the need to gameify what is already a game, but then I thought about how often the “product” of the NBA (e.g. basketball) gets complained about and realized the league was trying something. Trying something different versus just complaining about what already exists for the sake of griping is also rare.
Part of the fun of the tournament in its current, very green iteration, is its messiness. Last season, athletes were clear about how they, too, were stumped on the rules. How did the point system work? What were the knockout rules? Why were the custom courts so garish? But for the most part, players leaned into it. Did the Lakers lean a little too hard into it by hanging the In-Season Tournament banner in the rafters? Absolutely. But these are Tuesday night games in November — nothing about them should be sacrosanct.
A genuine lift I noticed and liked about last season’s tournament, and my real point of defense, is how these games operated as additional runway for a handful of teams on the verge. The In-Season Tournament was where we started to see the Pacers flourish and use the breakneck speed that went on to become a critical component of their entirely unique offense. The Pelicans also treated the tournament as something different, approaching the games like an escape from the early season injury woes that derailed them (unfortunately in a very cruel deja vu, we’re seeing the same thing this season). There’s going to be more emerging teams and play styles showing themselves this time around.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis Memphis Grizzlies’ defense is making waves, showcasing a return to dominance with a standout stat that highlights their prowess. Dive into the specifics by checking out the full details here. (Beale Street Bears)
Analysis The Grizzlies have cracked the top 10 in the NBA’s Week 4 power rankings. Discover how their performance has impressed so far this season here. (Beale Street Bears)
Injury The NBA has a ‘missing stars’ problem with injuries piling up faster than normal. (Yahoo! Sports)
Rumor Did Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fake handshake prank launch a new NBA rivalry?
Preview The tiny town and legendary 1980s NBA team that built NBA Draft phenom Cooper Flagg (ESPN)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Monday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Recap
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center.|Photo by Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action featured five games, each packed with performances and injury updates that could reshape your fantasy basketball strategy.
Injury Updates Affecting Lineups
Damian Lillard’s entry into concussion protocol means he’ll miss Tuesday’s game, with a slim chance of returning by Wednesday. This quick turnaround is unusual, so keep an eye on updates. Meanwhile, Gary Trent Jr. is still dealing with back spasms, and despite his fantasy position eligibility, he’s not a point guard, averaging only two assists per game. The Milwaukee Bucks are experimenting with their lineup, with Pat Connaughton and Ryan Rollins as potential backup point guards. Giannis Antetokounmpo can handle point guard duties, but he needs support, especially with Khris Middleton unavailable.
Zion Williamson’s injury update is a blow to fantasy managers. He’s expected to be out for four to six weeks, longer than initially anticipated. If you have an IR spot, hold onto him, but be prepared for a potentially extended absence. Malik Monk’s ankle injury will keep him out for at least two weeks, affecting the Sacramento Kings’ lineup. Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis could see increased value in the short term.
Game Highlights and Player Performances
The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a surprising 116-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Victor Wembanyama was the standout performer, delivering a stellar 34 points and 14 rebounds, solidifying his status as a top fantasy player. De’Aaron Fox’s assist numbers are concerning, especially with DeMar DeRozan’s arrival affecting his role. DeRozan’s on-court fit with the Kings remains a question mark. Kevin Huerter’s inconsistency continues, and while he had a hot streak, his recent performance was lacklustre. Keegan Murray’s struggles are evident, and I don’t see him breaking into the top 75 players this season.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Grizzlies podcasts.
Memphis Grizzlies flex depth, sweep weekend games by a combined 69 points From Jaren Jackson Jr., 39-point night to the Grizzlies’ 45-point win, Memphis had a dominant weekend. In this episode, host Damichael Cole recaps the Grizzlies dominance, Jake LaRavia’s performance and the emerging depth.
Ja Morant, Taylor Jenkins express frustrations after Grizzlies lose to Nets Despite being heavy favorites, the Memphis Grizzlies loss a home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. In this episode of Locked on Grizzlies, host Damichael Cole recaps the game, Taylor Jenkins’ decisions and Ja Morant’s postgame displeasure.
When should Memphis Grizzlies fans wonder about Zach Edey’s NBA transition? It hasn’t been the start to his NBA career that Zach Edey surely envisioned for himself. And while the sample size is clearly too small to reach any real conclusion, the fact remains that the Memphis Grizzlies eventually will need more from the “Big Mane”. Hosts Joe Mullinax and Damichael Cole discuss when the time to “worry” should start, plus preview Grizzlies-Nets and update injuries to Ja Morant and others, on this episode of Locked on Grizzlies!
