How to help the Bane-less Memphis Grizzlies
Just a couple of suggestions...
The Memphis Grizzlies, after winning seven games in a row, are now staring down the barrel of a losing streak after two tough showings to start their Christmas road trip. Losing to the two-time reigning (and defending - he looks phenomenal) Denver Nuggets, in Denver, isn’t something to be disappointed in. But to fall to the Oklahoma City Thunder, without Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is cause for concern.
In both games the Memphis Grizzlies fought back - they didn’t lie down. The culture they’ve built won’t allow them to do so. But there’s no denying the team started slow in both defeats - Denver was up 35-14 at the end of the first quarter, and OKC led Memphis by 21 at the end of the first half this past weekend. There’s a pretty obvious reason why, by the way - beyond the easy “poor effort” excuse.
They miss Desmond Bane.
Bane, who was playing at an All-Star level before his toe injury derailed his momentum, is one of the few players for the Grizzlies who is both a threat from beyond the arc as well as off the dribble. He and Ja Morant fit quite nicely together in that way - the yin to “Big 12’s” dribble penetration yang. But even more relevant to these two most recent setbacks for Memphis is where the Grizzlies offense stagnates (you know, “stand around and watch Ja cook”) there are no players in place that can consistently score on their own beyond Morant’s brilliance.
Desmond Bane can. But he currently is out of the rotation, hopefully soon to return.
So what can Head Coach Taylor Jenkins and the Memphis Grizzlies do to try to get through the next few games (or…gulp…weeks) without Bane? There are two relatively easy fixes that could pay immediate dividends.
1. Start Ziaire Williams, sit John Konchar
This isn’t about making Konchar a scapegoat. He never should be asked to be a savior as much as he should be a stopgap solution, and there are others that have not been holding up their end of the bargain offensively beyond Konchar. It’s not his fault. His limitations, however, rear their ugly head more consistently when Morant and the Memphis offense struggles. He isn’t a high usage player - that’s just not where he has the most success - and if he doesn’t have a rhythm he becomes almost invisible as a scorer…especially among starting-caliber talent.
Enter Ziaire Williams - a starting-caliber talent.
In fairness to Konchar, it’s not like Ziaire has set the world on fire since his return to the Grizzlies rotation. Williams has not quite found his rhythm yet as a scorer in the way Memphis will need him to in order for the full potential of this version of the Grizzlies to be realized. But in terms of raw talent and physical ability - Ziaire is a 6’9” perimeter player with length on his side, whereas Konchar is a combo forward in a guard’s body - Williams is a superior prospect. And increased opportunity and minutes alongside Morant and the starters could kickstart his season.
Konchar is in the 2nd percentile for usage in the entire NBA among wings, and 86% of his made shots are assisted on per Cleaning the Glass. He is extremely dependent on the creative skills of others to get his offensive opportunities. Williams, meanwhile, has shown the ability to create off the dribble for himself as well as others (in Summer League, but still…the physical possibility exists) while getting to the midrange and converting shots. The bag of tricks Williams already possesses is solid, and the size of the bag to hold more is greater than Konchar’s capacity.
“Jitty” has proved he holds value to Memphis. But he’s eventually going to see reduced minutes in a reserve role anyway. Making that switch now allows for a greater talent to see more run alongside Morant to get his own game charged up while finding himself in situations he can be more assertive offensively off the bench.
2. Play Jaren Jackson Jr. more
Over the last three games - not necessarily in the two losses, but even the dominant showing against the Milwaukee Bucks - Jaren Jackson Jr.’s foul issues from earlier in his career began to show their ugly face again. Jaren is having a Defensive Player of the Year contender start to his season coming off his own injury woes, but recently he has committed some silly fouls while making poor decisions contesting shots and reaching for deflections/steals.
In response, the remarkably consistent in this area Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins almost always sits Jaren out. It limits his minutes on the floor, essentially fouling Jaren out before he is actually fouled out. Jaren was on the floor for 28 minutes against the Thunder without foul issues, but against the Bucks JJJ logged just 13 minutes and when facing the Nuggets he only played a bit more than 20 minutes with foul concerns. Jaren Jackson Jr. has, in fact, yet to play more than 30 minutes in a game this season.
This is a problem on multiple levels.
When it comes to fouling out concerns, Jaren is the 2nd best offensive option the Grizzlies possess with Bane out currently. If he is off the floor for prolonged periods of time it places undue stress on Morant, and when both Ja and Jaren sit there isn’t really a good option for offensive initiation/prioritization for the Grizzlies. Dillon Brooks as a primary option doesn’t work. Jackson Jr., whose 6’11” size and decent handle for that frame makes him a matchup nightmare for most opposing defenses, should get more of those looks.
But if he isn’t on the floor, that cannot happen.
The logic of keeping Jaren off the floor so he can be there late is theoretically sound, but in order for that to matter there must be a close game for him to impact late. And with Memphis missing Bane’s offensive juice, those opportunities will be less frequent. If injury management is a concern, that hasn’t been articulated - by all accounts (public ones, at least) Jaren is ready to roll and Memphis hasn’t asked him to play in a back-to-back yet. He’s well-rested. He should be good to go.
Let him get run as the primary option, and allow for him to fail. If he fouls out, so be it. He must continue to learn how to use his body and be available for his team to have success. Better to endure those growing pains now than in the spring/playoffs.
Desmond Bane will eventually return. And the Memphis Grizzlies still rank among the very best in the NBA despite their recent two-game skid. But for Memphis to maintain their standing with the Denver Nuggets and others, they have to find a way to score and alleviate the stress on Ja Morant. There are answers within, but the Grizzlies coaching staff has to allow for their best players to play and make mistakes in order to find their rhythm and be in their best position to contribute not just now, but down the road of the season.
A tweak here and there can make a world of difference as the Grizzlies wait on their perimeter weapon to return.