This year, we witnessed one of the most unique seasons in NBA history. Now, the league is transitioning through its most unique off-season yet, and players are preparing for next season, slated to start December 22nd. For Memphis, their season has been over for a while now, but players have been finding ways to safely stay active. For Ja Morant, he’s been doing things like this:
We all know hard work and dedication are a big part of Morant’s game. His work in the gym is well-documented. Hopefully, he has been studying the game as well. In case he needs some help, I’ve created a study guide for his offseason. I’ve assigned Ja eight players he can look at to improve various elements of his game.
Offense
Jason Kidd
One of the greatest floor generals ever, few players have ran offenses as effectively as Jason Kidd. Kidd made each team he played for better, even late into his career. Morant’s style of play resembles his, particularly their flash and passing ability:
https://twitter.com/timelesssports_/status/1109487327045435392?s=20
Kidd presents a good trajectory for Ja to emulate. Offensively, Morant should study his decision-making and shooting numbers. A career 35% shooter, Kidd hovered around four three-point attempts per game every season. Morant has displayed a decent shooting stroke, but on low volume. Upping his attempts early in his career could drastically affect his longevity and effectiveness as he matures.
Kidd’s passing ability set him apart from his opponents and made his teammates better. He was elite at getting teammates the ball in the right places. Morant has displayed an uncanny knack for that, as well. Studying Kidd could allow him to further improve as a passer, and potentially average double-digit assists.
Derrick Rose
Back in January, I wrote about how Morant stacked up against some of his most common comparisons at the halfway point of his rookie year. Rose was one of the players I discussed. In that piece, I was looking at Rose’s rookie stats. Now, I want to focus on his more recent production:
Rose has managed to remain effective despite numerous injuries. He’s adjusted for waning athleticism by improving as a shooter and as a floor general. That being said, Rose remains elite driving to the rim. He was seventh in points per game on drives despite playing only 26 minutes a night. Of players averaging at least 10 drives per game, Rose was fourth in FG%. Morant posted similar numbers on drives, despite a stark difference in isolation numbers. Per NBA.com, Rose was in the 88th iso percentile last season; Morant was in the 35th.
Ja’s iso numbers are going to improve – he’s too good one-on-one for them not to – but Rose provides an excellent blueprint for him to learn from in that area and others. Taking a few small tips from Rose will accelerate that process.
Defense
Mike Conley
It would be nearly impossible to look to Memphis’ future without referencing its past. Mike Conley spent 12 seasons with the Grizzlies, and was the conductor of the most successful era in the team’s history. At 6’1″, 175 lbs., Conley has a slight frame like Morant, but managed to become a good defender over the years. His timing and IQ are what make him such a sound defender.
Morant has a few physical advantages over Conley (two inches in both height and wingspan), and his athleticism is far better than Conley’s ever was. However, studying the fundamentally sound Conley could help Ja more effectively utilize these advantages. Ja showed flashes of excellent defense during his rookie year, but had plenty of lapses as well. Examining and taking on Conley’s habits could help him become a legitimate two-way guard, especially as he bulks up over the next few seasons.
Gary Payton
As cliché as it may be, Gary Payton is arguably the best player to study. He was the epitome of a pest, and was the last guard to win Defensive Player of the Year. At 6’4″, 180 lbs., Payton had a similar build to Morant.
Most of Ja’s defensive improvements are things that can (and should) come with time. Studying Payton can speed up that process quite a bit. Payton was an incredibly smart defender, and often made his presence felt on- and off-ball. He was a master at not allowing his man to receive passes. In the video above, you can see how he could also blow up a play with a simple poke or deflection as his man went to the weak side.
The Grizzlies appear to be heading in a direction that will allow Morant to take those risks as they modernize their team. Learning how to effectively take those chances early will add an extra dimension to the next great defensive Grizzlies team.
Shooting
LeBron James
The only non-guard here, it’s fair to say every young player should study LeBron James. For Ja specifically, he should study LeBron’s shooting habits and transformation.
As the video above details, LBJ regressed mightily after leaving Miami. He’s now managed to re-establish his rhythm, and has become dominant in that regard. Most of his threes come off the dribble, which makes his case very unique, but also similar to Morant. This season, LeBron shot 60% of his threes after taking at least one dribble. Morant’s distribution was similar, as 62% of his threes were after at least one dribble. Interestingly enough, LeBron only shot 1.5% higher than Morant. The volume difference is staggering, though, and it’s unrealistic to expect Ja to reach Lebron’s shot numbers. However, analyzing how LeBron approaches shooting, and how he has become a legitimate threat from deep, will pay dividends for Morant in coming years.
John Wall
Another freakishly athletic guard, John Wall came into the league with no semblance of a jump shot. It wasn’t until his fourth year that he broke the 30% mark from deep. He hasn’t dropped below that number since (he shot exactly 30% in 2014-15). Wall’s volume hovered around four attempts per game during that stretch. The added range took him and his team to the next level, helping him become an All-Star for five consecutive seasons. Wall led the Wizards to the playoffs in all but one of those years.
The backcourt of Wall and Bradley Beal became a force to be reckoned with and gave even the best teams headaches. Morant could easily follow in Wall’s footsteps, and doing so early could help him avoid some of the injury troubles Wall has encountered. If Jaren Jackson Jr’s bubble performances become the new norm for him, he and Morant could form the next dynamic duo in the league.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1327051581670375424?s=20
Leadership
Chris Paul
Grizz fans may hate the idea of Ja Morant studying Chris Paul. The Paul-led Clippers were one of the Grit and Grind Grizzlies’ biggest rivals. It is undeniable, though, that CP3 is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. He’s consistently been a vocal leader on his teams, and has one of the highest basketball IQs in the game. The clip below shows a bit about what makes him such an effective leader:
Ja came into the league and immediately established his own brand of leadership. He had big shoes to fill after Mike Conley left, and he has handled that pressure very well. From day one, he was locked in and mature beyond his years. Despite that, there’s always room for improvement. Leadership isn’t meant for everyone, but it’s obvious that Morant has what it takes. He’s going to be the alpha in Memphis for years to come – it’s time to work on leading now.
Chauncey Billups
When discussing leaders in the NBA, Chauncey Billups always comes up. Billups embraced his role as a leader at every point in his career – on and off the court. He has consistently been vocal about what makes a good leader.
Billups rose to prominence during his time in Detroit, where he won a ring and Finals MVP. He went on to become a five-time All-Star as well. Billups’ leadership on the court helped make his teams better, but his off-court leadership is just as incredible. In 2006, he teamed up with the Lonnie Porter Leadership Academy to help their efforts with at-risk youth in Billups’ hometown of Denver. Since then, the academy has been renamed to the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy.
Ja Morant has already shown similar traits to Billups. His leadership on the court is beyond his years, and he’s also gotten involved helping people in Memphis. He’s already helped raise money for youth, and held a back-to-school shopping spree. Morant was also seen last month giving food to folks in need:
https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1316395396302688256
Needless to say, the Grizzlies got a good one with their second pick last year. As fans are preparing for the next golden era (also known as GrzNxtGen), Morant and crew will need to continue developing their promising games. Sophomore Ja should already have opponents shaking, and studying his predecessors will only make him scarier. He already was one of only seven rookies to average 17 points and 7 assists, what’s next?
We still have about a month until we find out. Until then, we can only sit back and wait.
You can find our previous study guide here.
Follow us on Twitter @Grizz_Lead for the latest Grizzlies news and insight.
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