Memphis Grizzlies

NBA insider on Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, JJJ: ‘They’re as good as a trio as there is in the league’

Published by
Peter Dewey

The Memphis Grizzlies failed to make the playoffs in the 2023-24 season due to several injuries and guard Ja Morant’s suspension at the beginning of the season. But ESPN’s Tim Bontemps is buying their core ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

“I’m buying Memphis,” said Bontemps. “Obviously, we’ll see if Ja Morant can keep himself on the court. But if he can, I expect him to have a big year. He, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are awfully, awfully good together. We haven’t seen them together in a minute, but when they are together, they’re as good as a trio as there is in the league.”

That’s some major praise for the Grizzlies’ three best players, and they’ve shown in the past that they can be a top team in the Western Conference. Memphis won 56 games in the 2021-22 season before winning 51 in the 2022-23 campaign under head coach Taylor Jenkins.

Last season, Morant was limited to just nine games due to his suspension and eventually a shoulder injury, and Bane played in just 42 of the 82 games in the 2023-24 campaign.

The Grizzlies also lost guard Marcus Smart for the majority of the 2023-24 season, as he appeared in just 20 games after being acquired in a trade prior to the start of last season.

While there’s no guarantee that Memphis will be healthy for the entire 2024-25 season, it could make a major leap in the West if it is.

Morant, a two-time All-Star, is likely the best player in the Grizzlies’ star trio, and Memphis has made the playoffs three times since he was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

There are lot of teams with great trios in the NBA, including the Philadelphia 76ers (Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey), Denver Nuggets (Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray), Boston Celtics (Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and any combination of Jrue Holiday, Derrick White or Kristaps Porzingis), Phoenix Suns (Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal), among several others.

Clearly, Bontemps is high on Memphis to put Morant, Bane and Jackson in this class ahead of the 2024-25 season.

“I like the direction overall from a talent perspective,” Bontemps said. “Getting G.G. Jackson and Vince Williams as a couple guys on the wing who can play minutes for them is big. And yeah, like you said [Tim] MacMahon, there’s been a lot of talk about the playoff picture in the West, and for all these teams that are good, I think Memphis is clearly a top-six team if their guys are available and on the court.”

The Grizzlies also added big man Zach Edey in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, and it’s possible he could be an impact player at the NBA level. If that pick pans out, the Grizzlies should be back in the mix for a playoff spot in the 2024-25 season.

Peter Dewey

Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball, football and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.

Published by
Peter Dewey

Recent Posts

Report: NBA GM believed Grizzlies would have had to shop Ja Morant this summer before they fired Taylor Jenkins

Earlier on in the year, long before the Memphis Grizzlies dismissed Taylor Jenkins after he…

6 hours ago

Ja Morant opens up about Grizzlies firing Taylor Jenkins: ‘It’s tough for me’

Guard Ja Morant suited up for the first time since the Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor…

1 day ago

Tyrese Haliburton on ‘easy decision’ to name SGA MVP: ‘If you took a player poll, I’m sure he would win’

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a compelling case to win this season's MVP…

2 days ago

Report: ‘Early expectation’ is that Clint Capela will sign elsewhere this summer

Big man Clint Capela is in his fifth season playing for the Atlanta Hawks, and…

4 days ago

Stephen A. says LeBron is in his feelings: ‘Could it be because I don’t believe you’re the G.O.A.T.?’

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith claimed on Wednesday that if his confrontation with Los Angeles Lakers…

5 days ago

LeBron James reflects on 2007 Cavs roster that he took to NBA Finals: ‘How is that possible?’

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James recently reflected on the 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers and their…

6 days ago