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The Memphis Grizzlies were one of the NBA's biggest surprises in 2021-22. The team had its big breakout year, finishing with the second-best record in the league at 56-26. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies were not a match for the eventual-champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Much of Memphis' success came thanks to Ja Morant's career year. He was selected to his first All-Star game, won Most Improved Player and earned Second Team All-NBA honors. The former Murray State standout averaged a career-high 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. It was also his most efficient season, with Morant hitting 49.3% of his field goals and 34.4% on three-pointers.
Morant will certainly be the star for the Grizzlies once again this season. However, there is another player in Memphis who can make a great impact on the court as well. The problem is that he'll be sidelined for at least the first couple weeks of the regular season, which could reveal how much Memphis relies on his defensive efforts.
Here is the Memphis Grizzlies’ X-factor for the 2022-23 season.
Memphis Grizzlies X-factor: Jaren Jackson Jr.
While Morant got most of the spotlight, Jaren Jackson Jr. also broke out in a big way last year. After playing in just 11 games in the previous season, the power forward appeared in 78 in 2021-22. Hs contributions were duly noted by the league, too.
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Jackson averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He made 41.5% of his field goals, 31.9% of his 3-pointers and 82.3% on his free-throw attempts. Most importantly, he became one of the best rim-protectors in the NBA.
The former Michigan State Spartan led the league with 2.3 blocks per contest. He recorded 177 blocks in the season, 40 more than any other player. For his efforts, Jackson finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Jackson also showed up in the playoffs. He averaged 15.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. He notably had 2.5 blocks a night, which included a seven-block performance against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Memphis big man proved he is the anchor of the team's defense, especially versus opponents with powerful frontcourts.
Unfortunately for Grizzlies fans, Jackson underwent a procedure on his injured right foot during the offseason. There's no concrete timeline for his return, but there's a possibility Jackson is sidelined into January if his recovery doesn't go smoothly. If that is the case, Memphis will struggle on the defensive side of the ball. Being without their best defender for half of the season could cost the Grizzlies some games and spots in the standings.
While Memphis has some other players who can step up in the starting lineup such as Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman and Santi Aldama, they still have a lot to prove in the NBA. Clarke is best suited as a backup, Tillman's career0-high in points is 6.6 and Aldama—who started for Jackson in the preseason—played more minutes in the G-League as a rookie than with the Grizzlies.
All things considered, Jackson's absence should play a big role in what the Grizzlies will accomplish in 2022-23. If the team struggles in the first couple of months, it might be too late for them to make up ground in a loaded Western Conference when he returns. Memphis will ask even more of Morant with Jackson unavailable, potentially exhausting him come the postseason.
Because of that, even injured, Jackson is the Grizzlies' X-factor for the upcoming season. His shot-blocking and rebounding abilities are very difficult to replicate. Memphis' whole year depends on Jackson, whether it is with him playing or with the team adapting without him. Should he play well once he recovers, the Grizzlies should be in an excellent position to contend for the West— and maybe even the NBA title.
