Similar to last season, the Memphis Grizzlies’ centerpiece, a dazzling Ja Morant is back on the sidelines. His last appearance recorded an instance where he would take another hard tumble due to his ferocity against the Lakers ended in a comfortable Grizzlies win. Morant suffered a posterior hip subluxation and multiple Grade 1 pelvic muscle strains. Since then, the team has gone 3-3. The need for Morant to return is urgent. However, he has been listed as week-to-week. The latest update came from head coach Taylor Jenkins, who said he would undergo further imaging.

But maybe the sizzling point guard is healing sooner than most think. It’s hard to believe unless it would come from Morant’s side, isn’t it? Well, luckily, that’s exactly what happened. Anthony Sain, an avid Grizzlies fan and podcaster, hoped to see a positive update regarding the franchise star. And he didn’t have to wait for a long time for a Shams Charania tweet. The mercurial point guard became his own “source” and provided a relieving update to the anxious fans. “Sooner than you think,” the two-time All-Star tweeted about his return back to action.

Ja Morant has been a solid contributor to the Memphis Grizzlies this season. In just 27.8 minutes, he is averaging 9.1 assists, serving as the primary initiator for the Southwest division team. Morant is yet to fully rev his scoring engine, currently putting up a carer-low 20.6 points per game in the eight games he has played this season.

Yet, when analyzing his impact, it’s daunting to imagine just how much better the Memphis Grizzlies can get when Morant does eventually settle into the season.

Ja Morant is the difference-maker

The Grizzlies offense has been thriving this season. Scoring 119.7 points per game, it’s the fourth-best mark in the league. However, because of the balance of their roster, Ja Morant’s true impact remains underestimated. Their record only tells half the story. Averaging the third most assists in the league, Ja Morant accounts for 54.9% of the total Grizzlies assists.

When he is running the show, Memphis’ offense experiences wild improvements. They shoot 51.3% from the floor, the best mark when an individual player is on the floor. Take him off and their percentage drops to 46%. Their three-point shooting suffers even more and Ja Morant isn’t even shooting the ball well this early into the season.

When it comes to offensive rating, with the Murray State product, the Grizzlies record a 120.6 offensive rating. It would rank as the third-best rating for any NBA team, only behind the Cavaliers and Celtics. In the last four games, they have a 113 offensive rating, a clear degrade. Defensively the same applies, with Morant helping them record a 106.7 defensive rating, a slight improvement from their season average.

But the intangibles are of greater importance. With Ja Morant, defenses are forced to devote their entire attention to him. Most actions begin with him. Even though the 25-year-old hasn’t reached his best to this point, his scoring finesse can’t be ignored. Morant’s combination of athleticism and elegance makes him a hard commodity to deal with.

Naturally, the floor opens up and the Grizzlies can capitalize. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. It’s clear that with him, the Memphis Grizzlies are supremely better. And with the excitement and energetic plays Ja Morant brings, fans too are hoping he makes his return to the NBA floor very soon.