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.
Ja Morant will save the NBA
Nov 25, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Nikola Jokic is the best basketball player on the planet. Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the most dominant at the moment. And the future may belong to Luka Doncic in terms of the next “greatest basketball player alive”.
None of them hold a candle to the energy that comes when watching Ja Morant play.
LeBron James is in a battle with father time and is winning (for now). Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are not far behind. And Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards may believe that they’ve got the inside track on being the next great American star.
But they don’t. Because Ja Morant is back. And no disrespect to any of the names listed above, but when Ja plays - it’s just different.
There’s no denying that skepticism about Morant’s place among the NBA elite is justified. For reasons both of his own doing and out of his control, he has not been in the public consciousness consistently for the better part of two years. His game has notable flaws - still no average three point shot to speak of, limited defensive impact, and availability concerns.
It’s hard to invest in a star if you’re concerned it may burn out before it should. And yet - there is no one in the NBA more capable of catching the attention and igniting the basketball imagination of the league and its young fans than Morant.
He connects two generations of fandom. For those in their 30’s and 40’s (like me) that still sit down and watch games, he’s a basketball genius at work. He thrives in transition and gets out and runs after grabbing rebounds (a defensive strength of his is rebounding as a guard). He is almost always a step ahead of defenses, finding ways to get the ball in shooting pockets and to slashers in a timely manner. He is an unselfish superstar, boasting the absolute best assist percentage in the NBA right now at an astonishing 49.1%. That is fun to see over the span of entire game.
But for the younger generation - 20’s, teenagers - they don’t usually sit in their recliner and watch two hour basketball games. They scan social media for highlights and brief film breakdowns. And as you are almost certainly aware, no one in the NBA goes viral like Ja Morant. He has a game between high flying acrobatics and elite passing (alley oops to fellow stars are viral opportunities as well) that is amenable to the young and old of NBA fandom alike.
For numerous reasons - some fair, some unfair - counting on Ja Morant to again be the face of the future for the National Basketball Association feels like a risk. But it is one Commissioner Adam silver must take. The league just signed a new media deal. They’re fine - for now. But what about what comes next? Who will provide the energy for the next decade to come?
Giannis Antetokounmpo improves on greatness, again
Giannis, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez lead the way for the Bucks in 2024
Our modern relationship with the concept of greatness is a strange thing. Certainly in NBA basketball, but even more broadly, we like to hold greatness up to its lack. Less readily do we accept greatness at face value, or allow for greatness to simply stand on its own. It needs a backdrop of failure, and maybe because of that, it is failure we’ve become better at discussing. When greatness persists, or proves to have staying power, it feels almost dull. We want greatness to come with persistent conflict, and we want our greats to prove it, again and again.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a prime modern example.
Over the weekend, Antetokounmpo made history. He became the NBA athlete to record the most 30-point games in a decade, beating out the obvious candidates of Steph Curry and LeBron James. That’s over 262 games with 30-plus-points. So far this season, he’s been averaging 32.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, and shooting field goals at a 60.8% accurate clip. These numbers are staggering and yet, at a glance around discussion on the season, you’d think they were hum-drum.
Truth be told, conversation about the Bucks and Antetokounmpo seemed more engaged when both struggled early in the season. Those favourite, swirling questions of will-he-or-won’t-he be traded, or force a trade, rose with aplomb. A championship calibre team doing badly is always news, sure, but when its championship calibre superstar pushes through the struggles to virtually carry the team, we tend to turn our attention elsewhere.
Maybe it’s because the thing that’s given Antetokounmpo another gear this season — rediscovering the mid-range — is a part of the floor not as exciting as the three-point range teams like the Celtics are bombing from, but the bump has been drastic. Last season Antetokounmpo shot 35.1% from the mid-range and thus far this season he’s converting 47.8% of his mid-range attempts (of which he’s doubled, 2.4 to 4.3).
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
Ranking The Grizzlies hold their ground in NBA Week 6 power rankings, maintaining a strong position and demonstrating consistent performance. Discover their rank and what it means for the team’s momentum. (Beale Street Bears)
Must Read He’s baaaaaaaack. Ja Morant once again reminds the league that he’s one of the best in the game. (Beale Street Bears)
Preview Emirates NBA Cup play continues this week — here’s what lies ahead for all teams. (NBA)
Roster Before the 2025 NBA Draft, get familiar with 10 international prospects. (ESPN)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Monday’s Fantasy Basketball Recap - Hamstrings Strike In Orlando
Nov 23, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) shoots during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters/Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action brought a whirlwind of performances, injuries, and strategic moves that could significantly impact your fantasy basketball lineup. Here are the major takeaways from the day, focusing on what’s most relevant for fantasy managers.
Injury Updates and Player Returns
- Devin Vassell is expected back on Wednesday, which is great news for those who have been patient with his knee issues. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson is out for Utah, creating opportunities for players like Colin Sexton and Isaiah Collier to step up. Keep an eye on Johnny Juzang as a potential deep-league add.
- Gary Harris suffered a hamstring injury, which could open up more minutes for Cole Anthony and Anthony Black. With Jalen Suggs also dealing with a hamstring issue, these players could see increased roles.
Waiver Wire Trends
- Moussa Diabate has become a hot commodity following Grant Williams’ injury. While Diabate’s scoring is limited, his defensive stats make him a valuable short-term add.
- Malcolm Brogdon is worth considering for streaming, though his long-term value remains uncertain. Similarly, Ty Jerome had a standout performance, but his shooting percentages are unlikely to be sustainable.
- Naji Marshall and T.J. McConnell are sensible additions given the current absences in their respective teams. McConnell, in particular, could provide solid assists and steals with several key players out.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Grizzlies podcasts.
Ja Morant, Marcus Smart back soon for Memphis Grizzlies homestand The Memphis Grizzlies could get more help soon with the potential return of two key players. In this episode, co-hosts Damichael Cole and Joe Mullinax recap a recent Grizzlies win against the Bulls, Desmond Bane’s role in Memphis and preview Monday’s game against the Trail Blazers.
Another Memphis injury tests the Grizzlies depth Injury report updates from the Memphis Grizzlies are becoming harder and harder to endure. Vince Williams Jr. will miss a significant amount of time due to a serious ankle issue. Hosts Joe Mullinax and Damichael Cole talk about how that will impact Memphis, plus point out the strengths of the Grizzlies ahead of a Saturday night game against the Bulls, on this episode of Locked on Grizzlies!
Desmond Bane responds, Taylor Jenkins becomes all-time Grizzlies coaching wins leader After a bad performance vs Denver, Desmond Bane had one of his best games of the season against the Denver Nuggets. In this episode, host Damichael Cole discusses Bane’s performance, Taylor Jenkins making history and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s continued evolution.
