The Memphis Grizzlies found themselves in 13th place in the Western Conference heading into Thursday night's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Ja Morant's absence has been a big reason for their struggles.
The Grizzlies' possibility of trading Marcus Smart after a brutal injury was discussed recently. Legendary former Bulls forward Scottie Pippen reacted to Memphis signing his son to a two-way contract.
With so much happening in the Grizzlies' world, Morant's injury and subsequent surgery have long been forgotten.
Now Morant is out for the season with a shoulder injury, which has called his place in the NBA's top point guard rankings into question.
Grizzlies Star Morant's Place in Point Guard Rankings (Pre-Injury)
Ja Morant is a favorite among fans from Memphis, where the Grizzlies currently play, all the way to the West Coast. Despite being relatively slight in stature, he attacks the rim and opposing big men with a ferocity not seen since the days of Allen Iverson among smaller guards and point guards.
Morant was ranked number six overall among all NBA point guards by The Sporting News prior to his season-ending shoulder injury.
Now, it's time to re-assess.
The players Morant was ranked behind included the following: Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Damian Lillard.
Re-ranking the list today, these five players are firmly in front of Morant in the point guard rankings.
The only player who stands out like a sore thumb is Booker considering he is typically seen as a shooting guard and has the body type of a shooting guard. Booker is averaging 7.8 assists for a shorthanded at times Suns team, however, and he's more of a point guard than his teammate Bradley Beal, so his ranking is safe for now.
Where Grizzlies' Morant Ranks Now
Players ranked behind Morant on The Sporting News' top ten include (in order going down the list): Jamal Murray, De'Aaron Fox, James Harden, and Trae Young.
Murray led the Nuggets to the NBA title last season. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he plays a controlled perimeter game and is efficient in scoring and distributing the ball, compared to the frenetic pace that Morant pushes.
While Morant is a better player when healthy, Murray deserves to pass Morant on this list for the time being. His durability and championship pedigree have helped him to earn that distinction, much like an upstart college football team that passes a higher ranked one on sheer performance, wins and losses alone.
Also behind Morant is De'Aaron Fox, the Kings' rising star. Fox has upped his scoring average to 28 points per game this season, better than three points more than Morant. While Morant has more assists this season, it's safe to say Fox deserves to pass Morant for now.
James Harden's scoring average has dipped to 16.9 points this season, but his Clippers are fourth in the West and he's averaging 8.4 assists.
Meanwhile the Hawks star Trae Young is averaging 27.2 points, but still shooting just 42 percent from the field as a whole.
Put it all together it's safe to say that Morant deserves to slip in the rankings. He's played just nine games this season after playing 61 last season, and deserves to be ranked number nine at this point on the NBA's list of top ten point guards, just in front of Young.
Morant has a golden opportunity in front of him, despite his injury and suspension related setbacks.
With so much time to watch, observe, and rebuild the “temple” that is his body, so to speak, the Grizzlies could get the best version yet of their sensational, and still incredibly young at age 24, point guard in 2024-2025.
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