Ja Morant

Morant is coming off a frustrating season, which he began in amazing fashion, including earning his second All-Star selection, before picking up a nine-game suspension in March after brandishing a gun on Instagram live. Things got even tougher for the talented young guard, as he suffered a wrist injury in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, which caused him to miss the next game and remain limited for the rest of the series, which the Grizzlies lost in five games. Unfortunately, the drama did not end there, as Morant was once again seen flashing a gun on Instagram live in the offseason and as a result was handed a 25-game suspension by the league, effective at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. Additionally, the Grizzlies underwent a significant change at the point guard position, as they said goodbye to Tyus Jones and brought in Marcus Smart as part of a three-team deal soon after news of Morant's suspension broke. Smart will surely be expected to carry the load while Morant is out, but when the All-Star guard is eligible to return, it is mostly a guarantee that he will take the reins of the offense and be ready to produce back at a top-tier level. Some of Morant's best performances from the 2022-23 season included a season-high 49 point outburst in a win over the Rockets, eight triple-doubles, and 12 more double-doubles. If Morant can keep his focus, he is likely to pick up where he left off and shine as one of the league's top point guards.