NEW ORLEANS – Ja Morant arrived at the Smoothie King Center and headed to the Memphis Grizzlies team bus for Tuesday’s game in New Orleans.
He was accompanied by veteran point guard Derrick Rose who led the team. With Morant, back from suspension, walking through the loading docks, head down buried in his phone, growing up idolizing him, it was that kind of poetic introduction. There was no fanfare, no fury. Business only.
“It was all about,” Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane said. The athletics About Morant’s latest feature. “We talked last night after the last game. Same sh -. Continue what we have built and accomplished in the short time we have been together. Welcome and let’s get to work. Direct business.
Two hours after arriving, Morant made his season debut against Zion Williamson on Tuesday night against the Pelicans. Morant – a two-time NBA All-Star – missed the first 25 games of the season last year while holding a gun on several occasions in public.
“It’s great to have Jan back,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Tuesday. “He’s been through a lot. Bringing back one of our leaders and key players. The team fired. He’s going to inject a lot of life into the team. It’s the perfect time.”
Here’s the latest on Morant’s return and what else to know about his suspension:
How is Morant playing against the Pelicans?
8:14 pm ET – Morant is finding his rhythm in the second quarter. He has no problem weaving between defenders and getting to his favorite spots on the floor. His outside shot still looks rusty, missing the front edge on both attempted 3s, but everything else looks solid.
7:56 pm – Morant entered at the six-minute mark but came back with 1:47 to go in the first. Back in, Morant takes two quick assists in typical fashion: attacking the paint, drawing pressure and throwing a lob to Zaire Williams and a nice cross to Santi Aldama for a corner 3.
7:45 pm ET – Morant got into the teeth of the defense for the first time and got a strong second-chance chance on big Jonas Valanchinas for the second goal. Other than that, Morant was a passenger, moving the puck and finding rhythm to space the floor and find his feet. Defensively, he’s been compared to Herb Jones, with Jenkins’ tactical move to not show too much energy on either end of the floor.
Morant heat, introduction
7:30 pm – Morant was introduced to a roaring mix of cheers and excitement in the Smoothie King Center, understandably with Memphis on the road.
7:05 pm ET – Te Morant donned his trademark hoodie and sunglasses. He signs a few autographs on his way out – thanks to her fans who know him instantly – but boy Ja is more or less in incognito mode when he’s hot.
6:37 pm ET – The time is here. Before Morant takes the court, he hugs every member of the Grizzlies staff and takes the floor. Marcus starts warming up by quickly dribbling the ball back and forth as he waits for Smart and Rose to finish. Morant is moving from mid-range to the perimeter with a crew, starting from different spots on the floor. He’s moving well and his jumper looks clean, just a little smoother than the last time we saw him in action.
Why was Morant suspended?
In June, the NBA suspended Morant for at least 25 games to begin the 2023-24 season for “conduct detrimental to the league.” An NBA investigation found Morant holding a gun in a live video on Instagram in May after he had previously displayed a gun in an Instagram video at a Denver-area nightclub.
Morant, 24, had to meet certain conditions for his return and was ineligible for any public league or team activity during the suspension.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in June that before Morant’s return to action, the guard would be required to “develop and complete a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”
Morant’s video surfaced in May and went viral on social media two weeks after Memphis was eliminated in the first round. The Los Angeles Lakers took down the Grizzlies in six games as Morant averaged 24.6 points per game.
What are they saying?
Last week, Morant addressed his time off and said he had spoken with Silver about his possible return. Morant also said he learned about himself during treatment on Friday and said he didn’t talk to other NBA players outside of his teammates when he sat down to start the season.
“It was very eye-opening,” Morant said of his career in medicine. “It gave me a new perspective on life, how I walk, how I carry myself, according to my age. Just gratitude and thanks for still being here and where I am.
Morant also has no regrets because “in the end, it made me better.”
“It’s still a process,” he said. “I’m not done learning myself, but I certainly understand why things happen.”
“He is monitoring this situation (with Morant) very closely,” Silver said on Dec. 9.
“We’ve put him through a program together over the last several weeks, and as far as I know, he’s done everything he’s been asked to do,” Silver said.
“It was good,” Morant said of his conversation with Silver on Friday.
What else to know
Morant, who is part of a civil suit unrelated to the suspension, said last week in Memphis civil court that he was acting in self-defense after he beat the teenager during a pickup game at his home earlier this year. Morant is the defendant in a civil lawsuit filed by the juvenile involved in the alleged altercation.
How did the Grizzlies fare without Morant?
To put it simply, Grizzlies (ed.6-19) They struggled mightily in Morant’s absence. In the offseason, Memphis added veterans Smart and Rose, and their by-committee approach — having star guard Bane handle the ball — would stabilize the team until Morant returned to the fold. But the Grizzlies have been wracked by injuries across the board, with Smart and Rose already missing a combined 25 games this season.
As a result, Memphis had to resort to a revolving door of options, including promoting 5-foot-8 point guard Jacob Gilliard from their G-League affiliate and signing Shaquille Harrison and Jaylen Nowell to 10-day contracts. It’s no wonder the Grizzlies are just 22nd in turnovers (14.8), 27th in assists (23.9) and 28th in points in the paint (44.7).
An All-NBA second-round pick in 2022, Morant is one of the most talented young point guards in the league, combining speed, power, vision and flair in his all-encompassing offense. Memphis sorely misses his dynamic presence, gravitas and ability to carry the offense, which is at the bottom of the offensive line, according to Cleaning the Mirror. If there is any relief from their struggle, it is in the development Jarren Jackson Jr And Bane, who took on more responsibilities and recently turned the corner, averaged 25.5 and 27.9 points per game, respectively, in December.
How to look
TNT will air Tuesday’s game at 7:30pm ET. A streaming option is also available on NBA League Pass.
It is necessary to read
(Photo: Chris Gretton / Getty Images)