{"id":82253,"date":"2024-08-27T08:30:18","date_gmt":"2024-08-27T12:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=82253"},"modified":"2024-08-26T22:58:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T02:58:30","slug":"grizzlies-fans-should-be-extremely-hopeful-for-the-season-after-new-ja-morant-and-zach-edeyintel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/08\/27\/grizzlies-fans-should-be-extremely-hopeful-for-the-season-after-new-ja-morant-and-zach-edeyintel\/","title":{"rendered":"Exciting News For Grizzlies Fans After New Ja Morant Video"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The 2023-24 NBA season was a turbulent one for the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/08\/25\/memphis-grizzlies-off-season-a-review-to-date\/\" target=\"_self\">Memphis Grizzlies<\/a>. What began with high hopes quickly descended into a season plagued by inconsistency. It happened largely due to the injuries sustained by their star point guard, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/moranja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ja Morant.<\/a> Without Morant at full strength, the Grizzlies struggled to find their footing. They failed to make the postseason for the first time in four years.<\/p>\n<p>However, recent offseason workout videos featuring Morant and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/06\/27\/the-5-biggest-surprises-of-night-one-of-the-2024-nba-draft\/\" target=\"_self\">rookie<\/a> center <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/e\/edeyza01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zach Edey<\/a> have reignited optimism among Grizzlies fans. These videos highlight the work both players are putting in. Also, they hint at the potential chemistry that could transform the Grizzlies&#8217; fortunes in the upcoming 2024-25 season.<\/p>\n<h2>Exciting News For Grizzlies Fans After Ja Morant and Zach Edey Workout Video<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">JA MORANT AND ZACH EDEY IN THE GYM TOGETHER <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tkPG1Z2Jps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/tkPG1Z2Jps<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; eric (@EricTweetsNBA) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EricTweetsNBA\/status\/1826070109619892608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 21, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Rebuilding Momentum After a Disappointing Season<\/h3>\n<p>The Grizzlies\u2019 2023-24 campaign was derailed by Morant&#8217;s injuries, where he just appeared in nine games. The team\u2019s performance dipped significantly in his absence. They <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/standings\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">finished<\/a> with a <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/standings\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">27-55 record<\/a> good for 13th in the West. They struggled to maintain the competitive edge that had seen them make the playoffs in the previous three seasons. Morant\u2019s injury woes underscored the team\u2019s dependence on their star guard. Without him operating at full capacity, the Grizzlies were a shadow of the team that had previously been a force in the Western Conference. They had become juggernauts (two consecutive second seeds) during the regular season.<\/p>\n<p>The offseason workout videos showing Morant and Edey working together offer a glimpse of hope that the Grizzlies could bounce back stronger. Morant\u2019s dedication to getting back in shape and improving his game is evident in these videos. The addition of Zach Edey to the equation introduces a new dynamic that could be pivotal for the team.<\/p>\n<h3>Zach Edey\u2019s Potential Impact<\/h3>\n<p>Edey, standing at 7-foot-4, was a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/08\/zach-edey-2024-nba-draft-profile\/\" target=\"_self\">dominant<\/a> force during his college career at <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/26\/purdue-big-ten-basketball-preview-2024-25-no-more-edey-but-still-impressive\/\" target=\"_self\">Purdue<\/a>. His achievements, including being a two-time AP Player of the Year and winning the Wooden Award twice, speak volumes about his potential to make an immediate impact in the NBA. Edey\u2019s size, combined with his skill set, makes him an imposing presence in the paint\u2014a quality that the Grizzlies could greatly benefit from. They struggled to maintain a consistent inside presence last season.<\/p>\n<p>The workout videos show Edey and Morant practicing pick-and-rolls, with Morant\u2019s quickness and ability to penetrate the defense complementing Edey\u2019s size and finishing ability at the rim. This kind of synergy is exactly what the Grizzlies need to regain their offensive rhythm. Edey\u2019s ability to set solid screens and roll to the basket provides Morant with another reliable option. This would help alleviate the pressure on him to carry the offensive load single-handedly. The Grizzlies aren&#8217;t a team that lights it up from the field per se.<\/p>\n<h3>Building Chemistry and Restoring Confidence<\/h3>\n<p>One of the key takeaways from these workout videos is the growing chemistry between Morant and Edey. This is a team that struggled to find consistency last season. The importance of building strong relationships on the court cannot be overstated. As Zach Edey adjusts to the speed and physicality of the NBA, having a seasoned player like Ja Morant guide him through the transition is invaluable. Their shared work ethic and commitment to improvement are crucial for developing the kind of on-court understanding that can translate to success during the season.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, these workouts have a psychological aspect as well. After a disappointing season, the Grizzlies need to rebuild their confidence. Both as individuals and as a team. Seeing their star player in the gym, putting in the work alongside a promising rookie, sends a strong message to the rest of the team and the fanbase: The Grizzlies are not dwelling on last season\u2019s failures; they are actively working towards a better future.<\/p>\n<h3>The Last Word<\/h3>\n<p>The offseason workouts featuring Ja Morant and Zach Edey offer a promising sign of things to come for the Memphis Grizzlies. After a season marred by injuries and underperformance, these videos suggest that the team is poised to bounce back. The potential chemistry between Ja Morant and Zach Edey could be a game-changer. It could give the Grizzlies a new dimension on both ends of the floor. If Morant can stay healthy and Edey can translate his college success to the NBA, the Grizzlies could find themselves back in the mix as one of the top teams in the Western Conference. As the new season approaches, there is a renewed sense of optimism in Memphis. It all starts with the hard work being put in during these crucial offseason months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2023-24 NBA season was a turbulent one for the Memphis Grizzlies. What began with high hopes quickly descended into a season plagued by inconsistency. It happened largely due to the injuries sustained by their star point guard, Ja Morant. Without Morant at full strength, the Grizzlies struggled to find their footing. They failed to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":92676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,32,3],"tags":[4945,49040,49402,1822,4557,877,4741],"class_list":["post-82253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-grizzlies","category-news","tag-2023-2024-season","tag-2024-nba-draft","tag-2024-2025-season","tag-ja-morant","tag-nba-offseason","tag-purdue-boilermakers","tag-zach-edey"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82253"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82253\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}