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Southwest Notes: Morant, Pelicans Bench, Spurs Slump, Lively

January 19th, 2025 at 9:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grizzlies could play again without their floor leader on Monday. Ja Morant is listed as questionable against Minnesota due to right foot soreness, the team’s PR department tweets.

Morant, who is averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 assists, has already missed 18 games this season and is ineligible for postseason honors. He was also unavailable for Friday’s 28-point win over San Antonio.

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The Pelicans reserves have made a major impact during the team’s three-game winning streak, Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times Picayune writes. “This bench is a team that wants to win every minute that we get,” guard Jose Alvarado said. “We know that it can be 10 minutes, five minutes, two minutes or 20 minutes. We’re going to attack it like it’s the (NBA) Finals.” Alvarado led the bench brigade on Friday with 19 points, including six 3-pointers.
The Spurs, who are headed to Paris to face Indiana, will look at the trip as a chance to turn their fortunes around. They have lost three straight and six of their last seven after falling to Miami on Sunday. “This hasn’t been our best stretch of basketball and there are some things we need to shore up, and we’ve played some really good teams and they’ve exposed some things,” acting coach Mitch Johnson told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “We’re looking forward to Paris, but I don’t think we overlooked this team or in (losing twice to) Memphis.”
The Mavericks list Dereck Lively as questionable to play against Charlotte on Monday due to a right ankle sprain, Grant Afseth tweets. Lively has missed the last two games after suffering the injury on Tuesday against Denver.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Murray, Eason, Rockets

January 17th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who was ruled out for the team’s game in San Antonio on Friday night due to right foot soreness, is no longer eligible for major award consideration this season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Morant has averaged 21.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per contest this season for the Grizzlies, who rank third in the Western Conference standings, but Friday’s game will be the 18th he has missed this season. That means he’ll fall short of the 65-game threshold required to qualify for end-of-season awards, including All-NBA.

Morant made the All-NBA Second Team in 2022, but a suspension related to his off-court behavior derailed his chances of repeating the feat in 2023, and he appeared in just nine games last season due to a second suspension and a season-ending shoulder injury.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Dejounte Murray‘s 30-point performance on Wednesday in a victory over Dallas was a reminder of why the Pelicans targeted him and gave up a pair of first-round picks – along with former lottery selection Dyson Daniels and rotation big man Larry Nance Jr. – to acquire him last offseason, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. It has been a challenging year so far for Murray, one of many key Pelicans players who has missed time due to an injury — he broke his hand on opening night and the team was 4-14 by the time he returned. “I’m trying to get my fun back,” Murray said. “It’s nothing with the team. Just dealing with a lot. It’s been tough for me. I’m a strong person, but at the same time I’m human. I think sometimes I can forget that.”
Although they didn’t get the win, the Rockets got a boost on Thursday as forward Tari Eason played for the first time in over a month after missing 13 games due to a lower left leg injury, notes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Eason was on a minutes restriction of 20-to-25 minutes, per head coach Ime Udoka. He ended up playing 24 minutes and didn’t miss a beat in his return, scoring 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Kelly Iko and John Hollinger of The Athletic explore some possible trade options for the Rockets, discussing why Jimmy Butler probably doesn’t make sense for Houston and considering whether De’Aaron Fox would be a fit if Sacramento made him available. While a significant in-season move seems unlikely, Hollinger points to Malcolm Brogdon or Chris Boucher as players on expiring deals who might make some sense as deadline targets for the Rockets.

Southwest Notes: Sheppard, Zion, JJJ, Morant

January 13th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

A three-game stint in the G League helped rebuild the confidence of Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. The No. 3 pick in last year’s draft has struggled with his shot, connecting at 32.2% from the field and 27.9% from three-point range. As a result, his playing time has dropped sharply, with just two brief appearances since December 26.

Coach Ime Udoka explained that Sheppard was assigned to Rio Grande Valley to give him a chance to run an offense and learn how to be more aggressive in creating shots for himself.

“I would say reps are hard to come by in short-minute stints,” Udoka said. “You’re not going to get those looks and what you’re used to getting your whole life, obviously, in high school and Kentucky, not getting the same amount of minutes or reps. And so you can’t live or die on making one or two shots a game. And so for us, when we went with the more veteran lineup, we decided to get him some live action. … But more so than confidence of missing shots, was taking the shots and he passed up some and we wanted to get this aggressive mindset back.”

The move had an immediate impact as Sheppard exploded for 49 points on 34 shots in his first G League game. He averaged 35.5 minutes, 30.7 points, 8.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds on 46.3% shooting during his time with the Vipers before being recalled Sunday to practice with the Rockets. The G League club doesn’t play again until Friday, and it hasn’t been determined if Sheppard will return there.

“I think I learned a lot,” he said. “I think the biggest thing was just getting my confidence back, going down and being able to get up and down the court. Kind of play free, play loose, really, just play the game of basketball and enjoy it. You know, the NBA is different. There’s a lot of great players, so being able to go down and get some reps and just get the confidence back up and stuff, it was a lot of fun this week.”

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The Pelicans‘ one-point loss Sunday at Boston shows what the roster might be capable of doing when it’s fully healthy, notes Rod Walker of NOLA. Zion Williamson was impressive on both ends of the court, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and five steals. “The five steals jump out at you right away,” coach Willie Green said. “That means his activity was pretty high. He ignited our break, our transition opportunities when he was getting steals. His rebounding was really good. It’s good to have him on the floor. When he’s on the floor, we are a better team.”
Scotty Pippen Jr. is pushing for teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. to earn a spot on the All-Star team, per Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda. Jackson has helped the Grizzlies overcome numerous injuries and remain among the top three teams in the West. “I feel like Jaren’s one of the most unstoppable players in the league,” Pippen said. “So, credit to him. He’s been working, you know, really hard, so he’s been doing well.”
In their latest injury report, the Grizzlies are listing Ja Morant as questionable for tonight’s game at Houston due to an illness (Twitter link).
In case you missed it on Sunday, there’s been “nothing substantive” between the Grizzlies and Nets regarding a trade involving Cameron Johnson, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).

Southwest Notes: Morant, Grizzlies, Jackson, Wemby, Pelicans

January 9th, 2025 at 10:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant made his return from injury on Thursday, as first announced by the team (Twitter link). Morant missed five games with an AC joint injury.

The Grizzlies went 2-3 without Morant, who is averaging 21.2 points, 7.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game this season. He finished with 27 points in a narrow loss to the Rockets in his return.

Morant wasn’t the only Grizzlies player back in action on Thursday, as Santi Aldama and Desmond Bane also made their returns. Aldama missed six games with an ankle injury, while Bane was only absent for Monday’s game against Dallas.

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The Grizzlies got more good news on the injury front, as GG Jackson was assigned to the Memphis Hustle for practice on Thursday (Twitter link via team). That means Jackson has practiced for three straight days, twice with the Hustle and once with the Grizzlies. Jackson hasn’t played at all this season after suffering an offseason foot injury, but was a bright spot last year when the Grizzlies were decimated by injuries, as he averaged 14.6 points while shooting 35.7% from deep as a rookie. He was elevated from a two-way contract to a standard deal after being the No. 45 pick in the 2023 draft.
Victor Wembanyama is establishing himself as the league’s best defender, with plenty of room to grow at 21 years old, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. He’s leading the NBA in blocks by a wide margin. “It just strikes fear in opponents’ hearts,” Julian Champagnie said. “That’s the best part about it. It’s like, yeah, he’s tall. He almost blocks every shot that comes his way. So anybody who’s going to the basket, you got that little double-take to see where he’s at.” In another article by Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News, players talked about what it takes to approach a defender like Wembanyama.
After suffering a shoulder sprain, Pelicans forward Herbert Jones will miss Friday’s game against the Sixers, Will Guillory of The Athletic relays (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Trey Murphy will miss his third straight game with an ankle sprain.

Western Notes: Kawhi, Morant, Sheppard, Blazers

January 9th, 2025 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Wednesday to reporters, including Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said that he was in full support of star forward Kawhi Leonard stepping away from the team to be with family who had been affected by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Lue added that “a few people on the staff” were also impacted by the fires and weren’t with the team in Denver on Wednesday.

“You definitely have to take care of home,” Lue said. “And so (Leonard) totally had my support, 100%. Going back, checking on his family and kids and making sure they’re well. And he got back, and they’re doing OK, so just happy and thankful for that.”

Leonard is still rounding into form after missing most of the first half of the season while recovering from an offseason procedure on his knee. Speaking to Law Murray of The Athletic, the two-time Finals MVP said his first two games back have felt like his “preseason.”

“I’m happy the knee is responding well. That’s what I’m more focused on than anything,” Leonard said. “But, you know, it’s hard to not want to be as aggressive as I want to be on the floor. It’s going to be a time to come. Once my lungs and my legs get there, start building up, I’ll start really assessing my play and seeing what I need to do better.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who has been out since December 27 due to a shoulder injury, has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Houston, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Memphis has lost three of the five games Morant has missed within the last couple weeks, so his return – whether it comes on Thursday or in another game or two – will be a welcome one.
After being assigned to the G League this week for the first time, Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard responded exactly like you’d want a No. 3 overall pick to respond, racking up 49 points, eight 3-pointers, and eight assists in his first game with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Tuesday. Sheppard has had a hard time establishing himself as a regular rotation player this season for a deep Houston squad, but Tuesday’s performance in his NBAGL debut was a reminder of his upside as a scorer and shooter.
In his latest mailbag, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) discusses various Trail Blazers topics, with a focus on trade scenarios. Highkin believes it would be in the Blazers’ best interests to move Jerami Grant before the February 6 deadline, though he acknowledges that trades involving players on big contracts have become more challenging in the current CBA landscape. Highkin still considers Grant the most likely of Portland’s top trade candidates to be moved, ahead of (in order) Anfernee Simons, Robert Williams, and Deandre Ayton.

Grizzlies Notes: Trade Options, GG Jackson, Morant, JJJ, More

January 7th, 2025 at 5:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Reporting on Monday suggested the Grizzlies were among the teams discussing the possibility of pursuing Jimmy Butler, but a Tuesday report stated that Memphis has been advised not to trade for the 35-year-old, who is allegedly uninterested in joining the Western Conference’s current No. 3 seed.

If that puts an end to the idea of the Grizzlies acquiring Butler, what are the most logical alternatives on the trade market for the front office? Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal weighs that question, suggesting three possible paths for the team.

Checking in on Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is one option the Grizzlies could consider, according to Cole, who says focusing on Nets forward Cameron Johnson might also make sense for a team that could use an upgrade on the wing.

Of course, standing pat and seeing how this version of the team performs down the stretch and in the postseason is another viable route, Cole writes, noting that it could benefit the Grizzlies to take a longer look at youngsters like GG Jackson and Vince Williams once they’re healthy.

Here’s more out of Memphis:

Speaking of Jackson, he appears to be nearing his season debut after recovering from offseason surgery on his right foot. The Grizzlies announced on Tuesday (via Twitter) that the second-year forward was assigned to the Memphis Hustle to participate in today’s practice.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been out of his sling for at least four days and is doing more on-court work as he moves closer to a return from his shoulder injury, Cole writes for The Commercial Appeal. “It is going to be on the shorter term than the longer term,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said on Monday. “He is making progress. I cannot pinpoint a game, but I don’t think that it will be much longer.”
In two more Commercial Appeal stories, Cole examines Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s growing case for All-Star consideration and details a memorable day for brothers Cam Spencer of the Grizzlies and Pat Spencer of the Warriors, who shared the same NBA court for the first time on Saturday in Golden State and even spent a few possessions guarding one another.
Grizzlies point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. recently spoke to Grant Afseth of RG.org about stepping into a starting role with Morant sidelined, why and how he’s succeeded in Memphis, and the lessons he learned from his Hall-of-Fame father Scottie Pippen, among other topics.

Ja Morant ‘Week To Week’ With Shoulder Injury

December 30th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant will miss multiple games due to another shoulder injury. Morant has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder and is considered week-to-week, according to a team press release.

Morant, who suffered the injury against the Pelicans on Friday, underwent season-ending surgery in January to repair a labral tear in the same shoulder.

Morant has flashed All-Star form in his return this season, averaging 21.2 points, 7.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game. He has appeared in 20 of the team’s 33 contests, missing eight consecutive games in November due to a posterior hip subluxation.

The latest injury will likely prevent Morant from making any All-NBA teams this season. Players are required to appear in 65 games to be considered for major awards.

Morant was limited to nine games last season due to a league suspension and then the shoulder injury.

Another prominent Memphis guard, Marcus Smart, is dealing with a finger injury and is expected to miss at least a couple weeks of action.

With Morant and Smart sidelined, Scotty Pippen Jr. will join Desmond Bane in the starting backcourt. Luke Kennard and two-way rookie Cam Spencer are the top options off the bench.

Injury Notes: Kuzma, Raptors, Morant, Celtics, Suggs

December 29th, 2024 at 4:14pm CST by Rory Maher

The Wizards and Kyle Kuzma are targeting Monday’s rematch with New York for the veteran forward’s return to action, team sources tell Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Robbins notes, Kuzma has missed the past 12 games with a sprained rib cartilage, having last played on Nov. 27. The two sides will determine if he’s able to suit up in the hours leading up to the game.

League executives believe the Wizards are “eager” to move Kuzma before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, as Marc Stein reported last week. However, the bonuses in his contract could complicate matters for suitors operating in close proximity to the tax aprons.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

The Raptors will have a handful of players back in action on Sunday vs. Atlanta, including swingman Bruce Brown, who will be making his season debut following offseason knee surgery, and starting center Jakob Poeltl, who has missed the past four games with a groin issue (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca).
Ja Morant will be sidelined for Sunday’s matchup with Oklahoma City due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, the Grizzlies announced (story via Tim MacMahon of ESPN). It’s unclear how much time Morant might miss beyond Sunday’s contest between the top-two seeds in the West.
The Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain) and Jrue Holiday (right shoulder impingement) for Sunday’s contest vs. Indiana, the team announced (Twitter links). Both starters had previously been listed as questionable. Asked about Holiday’s status, head coach Joe Mazzulla suggested the injury was relatively minor, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets. “He’s getting better every day,” Mazzulla said. “He’ll continue to get better and we’ll see how it is.”
All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs sustained a right wrist sprain on Sunday against Brooklyn and was ruled out for the remainder of the game, the Magic announced (via Twitter). Any type of extended absence for Suggs would certainly be rough — Orlando has already been playing without three of its top four scorers (Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner). Suggs, who signed a lucrative long-term extension with the Magic before the season began, has averaged a career-best 16.8 points per game in 2024/25.

Western Notes: Malone, Brown, Suns, Mavs, Pels, Morant, Kawamura

December 27th, 2024 at 11:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, who was the head coach in Sacramento for a season-and-a-half from 2013-14, didn’t hold back in his criticism of his former employer for the way the Kings handled Mike Brown‘s dismissal, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post relays.

“What really pissed me off about it was that they lost (Thursday) night, fifth game in a row, I believe — tough loss, fouling a jump-shooter — they have practice this morning, he does his post-(practice) media, and he’s in his car going to the airport to fly to L.A.,” Malone said. “And they call him on the phone (to fire him). No class. No balls. That’s what I’ll say about that.”

Malone said he was initially “really shocked and surprised” when he heard that Brown had been fired, but quickly realized the news wasn’t all that unexpected for two reasons.

“One, because as an NBA head coach, ultimately you’re going to get the blame,” Malone said. “When they win, it’s going to go to (Domantas) Sabonis and (De’Aaron) Fox. When you lose, it’s gonna go to Mike Brown. That’s the way it works. And two, who he works for. So I’m not surprised that Mike Brown got fired, because I got fired by the same person.”

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Fines and/or suspensions could be coming after Suns center Jusuf Nurkic and Mavericks forwards Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington were ejected from Friday’s game for their roles in a fourth-quarter altercation (Twitter video link). As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details, Nurkic was called for an offensive foul and began heading toward his basket before turning back and exchanging words with Marshall and Washington. The incident escalated when Nurkic slapped Marshall in the side of the head. Marshall responded by throwing a punch at Nurkic as the Suns big man was shoved to the floor by Washington.
In the wake of Thursday’s 17-point home loss to Houston, Pelicans head coach Willie Green bemoaned his club’s “lack of competitiveness,” telling reporters, “We were just soft tonight. Period” (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic). New Orleans followed up that performance with another loss – its ninth in a row – on Friday at home vs. the Grizzlies and now has a 5-27 record.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant exited Friday’s win over New Orleans early due to a right shoulder ailment. While it didn’t look in the moment like a significant injury, it’s the same shoulder that Morant had surgically repaired last January, so the team figures to play it safe with its franchise player. According to head coach Taylor Jenkins, Morant will be reevaluated within the “next couple days” to determine the severity of the injury, tweets Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com.
Two-way guard Yuki Kawamura has only logged 41 total minutes across 14 outings for the Grizzlies, but the Japanese rookie has made Memphis the NBA’s most popular team in his home country this season. Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal has the story.

Southwest Notes: Marshall, Irving, Grizzlies, Morant, Pelicans

December 21st, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Tristan Tucker

After missing five of his previous six games, Mavericks forward Naji Marshall returned to the lineup on Thursday and will continue to bring an edge to a strong Dallas team, The Athletic’s Christian Clark writes. In 22 games with Dallas, Marshall is averaging 11.8 points per game, but he also serves as the muscle of the team.

Marshall began his NBA career on a two-way deal, working his way up to the rotation in New Orleans before signing with the Mavericks this season for three years and $27MM. According to Clark, Marshall breathed a “sigh of relief” when he signed that contract with Dallas after earning the minimum for his first few years, but he knows his work isn’t over.

“I know it’s a narrow window as far as opportunity and just having an overall career in the NBA. I’m in the door, and now I want to stay here,” Marshall said. “Whatever it takes.”

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After missing Thursday’s game against the Clippers, Mavericks star Kyrie Irving is off the injury report and will play, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link). Superstar Luka Doncic will remain out with a heel issue that kept him out of Thursday’s loss.
The Grizzlies sent a mature message in their 51-point drubbing of the Warriors on Thursday, according to Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal. Every Grizzlies rotation player scored and six members of the team finished in double figures. The Grizzlies are 19-9 and second in the Western Conference.
There doesn’t seem to be a need for the Grizzlies to make a consolidating blockbuster trade, even with all their depth, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko opines in a mailbag. They could go for someone like Dorian Finney-Smith of Brooklyn, but the team is firing on all cylinders and shouldn’t blow up the core. In the same mailbag, Iko makes the case for Santi Aldama being Memphis’s fourth-best player and discusses their physicality.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant suffered a hard fall in the second half of the blowout over Golden State and didn’t return, logging just 17 minutes. That mostly seemed precautionary, as Memphis already had a big lead at that point, but he’s listed as out for Saturday’s game against the Hawks, the Grizzlies tweeted.
The Pelicans are still struggling to establish chemistry amid their injury woes this season, and their defense hit a new low in surrendering 133 points to Houston on Thursday, Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. New Orleans has lost 14 of its last 15 games.
Despite dropping five in a row, the Pelicans are hoping to get back on track with a five-game homestand, Walker writes in another subscriber-only story for NOLA.com.