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Eric Karabell, ESPN Senior Writer
The Memphis Grizzlies can move on from contending for a playoff spot and look ahead to next season now that star PG Ja Morant is out until the fall, needing surgery for a torn labrum. Perhaps some of Morant’s fantasy managers are already doing the same, but we are not even halfway through this season, so that seems a premature notion. Those that dealt with Morant’s absence for the first 25 games of the season, as he served his suspension, can do so for the next few months too.
The Grizzlies played particularly poorly during those first 25 games, and if we are looking for someone already on the squad to magically step up and produce larger numbers, Marcus Smart stands out. He will see a large uptick in usage with Morant out, but otherwise we will not find much. The Grizzlies went 6-19 without Morant the first time. Smart (available in 31% of ESPN leagues) missed 17 games with a left foot sprain but has scored 53 points over the past two games (97 fantasy points), and perhaps some of it is sustainable.
Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. have carried the Grizzlies offense most of the season, until Morant’s recent return. Bane averages 42.9 fantasy points per game, but those numbers were not better when Morant was out, in fact, his efficiency and assists went up with Morant alongside him. Bane is a top-30 fantasy option in points leagues and rostered in all leagues, but I would not say the Morant injury makes it more prudent to attempt to trade for him.
Jackson’s numbers are down from last season, when he won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He is scoring 21.3 PPG, easily a career high, while playing 31.6 MPG, but his rebounds and blocks are way down. As a fantasy manager, I would worry about the Grizzlies, who are no longer playing for something this season, sitting Jackson in the second half if there is any hint of injury. Jackson has played in 65 games in only one of his five seasons. Why push him now? This may be a wise time to seek a trade in redraft formats.
Sadly, that is about it for relevant Grizzlies options in ESPN standard formats. Santi Aldama produced in November, but not so much since then. Xavier Tillman looked good in stages late last season and is shooting 37.5% from the field and 36.4% from the free-throw line this season. Bismack Biyombo is on the team because Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke are injured. Derrick Rose is week-to-week with a thigh injury. Luke Kennard started Sunday with Morant out, and produced little and Ziaire Williams is inconsistent.
Vince Williams Jr. may be the most interesting of the readily available Grizzlies to watch, but it is hard to tell what he is statistically. Williams had 19 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in Sunday’s surprising win over the Phoenix Suns. He had not scored 10 points in a game in nearly four weeks. The minutes should be there though as Williams is shooting 38.3% from the field but is an inconsistent shooter from deep. He would have to do better to intrigue fantasy managers.
Morant finishes his truncated campaign averaging 25.1 PPG and 8.1 APG, 45.3 fantasy points overall. Those are significant numbers, of course, as only 22 players have averaged 45 fantasy points per game this season. Jalen Johnson, Jalen Duren and Daniel Gafford are the only players rostered in fewer than 75% of ESPN standard leagues that average better than 32 fantasy points per game, though Collin Sexton, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Hartenstein and Caris LeVert have all done so over the past 30 days.
Fantasy managers in category formats looking for help with assists should check out Malik Monk (6.4 APG over the past 30 days), Kris Dunn, Scoot Henderson and T.J. McConnell. Unfortunately, Morant is not the only point guard to be lost to injury recently. Chris Paul of the Golden State Warriors fractured his left hand on Friday and will miss at least a month.
A top-10 fantasy option leaves the lineup
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain Monday night, needing to be carried off the court by teammates. He entered the week sixth in fantasy points, buoyed by a league-leading 12.9 APG, and the team says it will reevaluate him in two weeks. Unlike Morant, who fantasy managers in redraft formats can confidently release, keep Haliburton rostered in case he returns to the lineup prior to the All-Star break in a month.
Andrew Nembhard has prior experience at point guard on excellent Gonzaga teams in college. He averaged 9.5 PPG and 4.5 APG as a rookie, stepping in for an injured Haliburton at times. Nembhard’s minutes and production are down this season and he missed three recent games with a back injury, but there is a major opening for usage now.
Nembhard, 23, has averaged 10 PPG and 4.6 APG over seven starts. He is considerably younger than McConnell, 31, but the veteran played much better in relief of Haliburton Monday. Still, Nembhard boasts upside. Add him first and also keep an eye on Bruce Brown, who is a sleeper option to run the Pacers’ offense and rack up assists.