The Memphis Grizzlies received contributions from Ja Morant well before he suited up for meaningful minutes. Morant's potential convinced Jonas Valanciunas to re-sign with the team on a three-year $45 million contract, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic.

“Valanciunas said he signed his deal because he believed in Morant’s potential. And with the regular season now only a week away, it appears Valanciunas’ hunch was correct.”

It didn't take long for Morant to impress the Grizzlies after preseason play began. He has managed to average an impressive 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in 20.7 minutes per game through three preseason games.

That level of play from Morant has caught the attention of Valanciunas. Between Morant's ability to use his explosiveness to get into the paint and his court vision as a facilitator, Valanciunas believes that the rookie's potential is ‘unbelievable.'

“Ja is unbelievable,” Valanciunas said. “His athleticism and quickness, ability to drive, he gives a lot of advantages for us. It’s great to see … He’s creating for everybody. The guys at the 3-point line are living off of him.”

After being traded from the Toronto Raptors, Valanciunas ramped up contributions to an eye-opening level. He managed to average 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds in 19 games with the Grizzlies last season. The presence that he provides in the pick-and-roll will be important for Morant while they share the floor together.

The Grizzlies appear to have put together one of the more underrated teams with their franchise cornerstones being Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. They have a solid collection of veterans around those two young players as well. It may take time for them to rise up the Western Conference standings but a strong foundation is present.