The Memphis Grizzlies enter the 2025-26 NBA season with a sense of cautious optimism. After an offseason focused on health, development, and subtle roster upgrades, the franchise has every reason to believe it can climb back into playoff contention. The pieces are in place: Jaren Jackson Jr. remains an elite defensive anchor, and the development staff has struck gold again with emerging wing Jaylen Wells. But the ultimate fulcrum for Memphis is Ja Morant.

For all of the organizational stability and talent growth cultivated by Zach Kleiman’s front office, Morant remains the central figure who can turn the Grizzlies from a plucky Western Conference hopeful into a legitimate postseason threat. After missing time due to off-court issues and injuries in recent years, Morant is primed for a true redemption campaign. With health, a reloaded roster, and the hunger to reclaim his spot among the league’s elite guards, the upcoming season offers him an opportunity to redefine his legacy. Here are three bold predictions for Morant in 2025-26.

Ja Morant will return to All-NBA form

Ja Morant’s career trajectory once suggested perennial All-NBA recognition. His dazzling 2021-22 campaign, in which he averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds while shooting an efficient 49.3 percent from the floor, marked his arrival among the game’s brightest stars. Since then, his production has remained strong: career averages of 22.6 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds reflect a player who consistently impacts winning, but availability and consistency have been limiting factors.

In 2024-25, he played in 50 games, averaging 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 45.4 percent from the floor. For many players, those numbers would represent career peaks. For Morant, they were viewed as a step down from his true ceiling. But with a full offseason of training, a clean bill of health, and a chip on his shoulder, this year feels different. The Grizzlies’ improved depth will also allow him to manage his workload better, keeping him fresher in late-game situations where he is at his most dangerous.

If Morant can raise his three-point percentage closer to 34 percent, in line with his 2021-22 mark of 34.4 percent, while maintaining his explosiveness attacking the rim, he becomes nearly unguardable. Combine that with his playmaking, where he has consistently hovered around seven to eight assists per game, and he has the statistical foundation to earn All-NBA Third Team honors. In a crowded Western Conference guard field that includes Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards, this prediction is bold. But Morant’s sheer dynamism, coupled with Memphis’s potential to finish in the playoff picture, sets the stage for his official return to the All-NBA conversation.

Morant will average a career-high in assists

For all of Morant’s highlight dunks and breathtaking drives to the rim, his playmaking has often been underrated. He has averaged at least 7.3 assists in four different seasons, demonstrating his ability to not only create for himself but also elevate those around him. This season, the pieces are in place for him to become a more complete offensive conductor.

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Jaylen Wells' rise as a floor-spacer and complementary scorer gives Morant another outlet on the perimeter. Jackson Jr., once inconsistent offensively, continues to expand his offensive arsenal and remains a lob threat in pick-and-rolls. Add in the towering presence of Zach Edey, who offers a rim-rolling option and offensive rebounding insurance, and suddenly, Morant has an array of weapons to utilize.

Morant’s ability to break down defenses and collapse the paint has always created open looks for teammates, but this year’s roster is better equipped to convert those opportunities into points. If his teammates can collectively hover around league-average three-point efficiency, Morant could easily push his assist average into double digits. A jump to 9.5-10 assists per game is within reach, which would be a career high and solidify him as one of the league’s most dangerous dual threats. For a Grizzlies offense that often stagnated when he was off the floor, this newfound orchestration could be the difference between scratching into the play-in and securing a middle-tier playoff seed.

Morant will be at the center of a Grizzlies playoff push

Bold as it may sound, the Grizzlies have a legitimate chance to make noise in the Western Conference this season. Much of that hinges on Ja Morant’s ability to stay on the court and deliver nightly. Memphis isn’t asking him to carry the same unsustainable load he once shouldered; instead, the team has built a roster that can support him and maximize his gifts.

Morant’s presence elevates this entire operation. He sets the tone in transition, forces defenses to scramble with his drives, and creates opportunities that only a handful of players in the league can generate. If he remains healthy and committed, there is no reason why Memphis cannot finish as high as the sixth seed in the West, avoiding the play-in tournament altogether. A playoff berth would not only mark Morant’s redemption but also validate the front office's patient approach during a turbulent period for the franchise. It would also restore Memphis’s identity as one of the most exciting, aggressive, and dangerous young teams in basketball.

For Memphis, this season is not just about bouncing back; it’s about proving that its championship window remains wide open. And for Morant, it’s about reclaiming his place among the league’s most electrifying stars.