What are some of the requirements to be a franchise player?
Do you have to play a certain position, score the most points, or be the most marketable player? Is it your team leadership or player-and-coach relationships?
Dependability and availability are words associated with Ja Morant for the Memphis Grizzlies. On the other hand, Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to frame his position as the Grizzlies’ franchise player.
Jaren Jackson Jr.’s Two-Way Dominance
The late great Paul Bryant always reminded the sports community that “Offense sells tickets. Defense wins championships.”
In a new age of NBA play where offense is attractive to the audience, being a two-way player is what makes you the strongest contributor on the court. Jackson Jr. demonstrates durability, dominance, and team leadership for his Grizzlies.
First, as the leading scorer for the highest-scoring offense in the league, let’s start with his offensive game. Jaren Jackson Jr. averages 22.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He is the only NBA player earning a 50-50-50, sitting at 50 three-pointers, 50 steals, and 50 blocks this season.
A little over the halfway point of the season, he earned his second NBA All-Star selection. And he is sitting atop eleven 30-point games, setting his own career record.
Defensively, he occupies the paint, using his agility and size to stretch the floor. He moves around as a perimeter defender and crowds the paint with his post-play. Based on this, he is setting himself up for more accolades and maximizing his dollar next summer.
Should his numbers stay on track in this second half of the season, he is on pace to potentially earn Defensive Player of the Year and All-Team honors. If he does this, he becomes eligible for a supermax contract, making him the highest-paid player on the Grizzlies.
These honors may shift the power dynamic to triple J.
Finding Ja
To recap the past couple of seasons, Ja Morant has not appeared in more than 65 games in any of the last five campaigns.
A right shoulder injury benched him for the second half of last season. Injuries and illness have already plagued him with 22 games on the bench, making him ineligible for regular-season awards. His availability raises questions within the Grizzlies’ front office and about his effective-but-theatrical play.
Undeniably, Morant’s showtime play maintains him as the forerunner franchise player. His yearly denial to participate in the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest leaves fans hanging onto his in-game dunks and posterizing opponents.
However, awkward landings and hard falls make it a challenge not to question the toll his body is taking. Currently, he is averaging 20.5 points and 7.4 assists per game. Despite those offensive numbers, he has hit a career-low 44.1% from the field and a career-high turnovers per game (3.8). Also, he is averaging his lowest point and rebound total since 2021.
The genetic fabric of Morant’s game is his IQ and his animated offensive play. Entering this season, he was vocal about lessening the number of in-game dunks.
But his game does not stop there. Whether it be working to make his outside shot more consistent or adding more defensive elements to his game, small tweaks could edge him into a brighter light the rest of the season.
Also, relying on his fellow Big Three counterparts — Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. — the symbiotic relationship of having confidence in each other’s game is the chemistry needed to perform well and win games.
Second-Half Goals
Ultimately, the Grizzlies are sitting second in the Western Conference (37-20), tied with the 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets.
With Jackson Jr. and Morant firing on all cylinders, what are some of the primary goals for this team to make a long run in the playoffs?
Start with a healthy Morant. Being available is half the battle. Do the things that work. He is a shifty player when driving to the rim, always making in-air hand switches to clear the basket. While his three-point percentage and number of field-goal attempts are down, those are fundamental elements he can return to. Trusting his body and playing into the team around him, Morant can still break out of this stint of being a shell of himself.
No player is perfect, but Jaren Jackson Jr. appears to have it all. At 25 years old and climbing into his prime as a player, should he remain consistent in his offensive and defensive statistics across the board, his game won’t need change.
Agility, footwork, ball-handling, and defensive drive are attributes that continue to catapult Jackson Jr.’s breakout 2025 season.
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