The Memphis Grizzlies had a tough time last season, finishing as the 13th seed in the West, above the Spurs and Blazers. We all know what led to the demise of a team that legitimately looked like a playoff threat when their franchise superstar, Ja Morant, was absent from the court. With Morant on the court, the Grizzlies went 6-3, averaging 112.7 points per game. But without him, the record stands at 21-52 while averaging just 105.0 points.

Clearly, Memphis works better with Ja. And with that in mind, the 25-year-old seems to completely focus on re-writing their story for the upcoming season. Joining him in the endeavor is none other than the ex-Purdue sensation and the Grizzlies’ rookie, Zach Edey. The 7’4 Canadian has been a trailblazer for the Boilermakers, leading his team to the NCAA championship game in his final year.

The latest news surrounding him and Morant is a viral workout video on X. Practising pick-and-rolls at the Southern Methodist University’s basketball facilities, the session provides a glimpse of what we can expect from the duo for the 2024-25 season. Tweeting the insane clip on X was a Grizzlies fan page, captioning it, “Ja Morant and Zach Edey pick and rolls will feed families this season,” followed by a spinning head and flame emoji. Needless to say, it had the fans salivating.

Interestingly, this comes in the wake of a sharp criticism from former NBA legend, Sam Mitchell. The 60-year-old notably played for the Minnesota Timberwolves during his 18-year NBA career. Working as an analyst and talk show co-host for SiriusXM NBA Radio, the 2007 COTY was critical of Morant’s questionable actions.

“He didn’t miss the whole season because of injuries, he missed the whole season because of himself. And so not only does he have to walk gently when he comes back through that door, he’s gotta have a sense of humility when he comes through that door. Because hey man, it’s on you. You the one left your teammates out to dry… You made decisions off the floor that jeopardized yourself, your status on the team, and your team’s success. So, to me, you can’t just walk in the door and everything starts the way it was,” he said in a recent episode.

He was, of course, referring to Ja’s 25-game suspension for brandishing firearms on social media. During the period, the Grizzlies went 6-19. 2 months prior to this, the NBA had suspended the 2020 ROTY for eight games for similar conduct. And then there was that scuffle with punching a teenager, as well. The latest update regarding the 2022 incident was in favor of Ja Morant, though. Per NBC Sports, Shelby County Circuit Judge Carol Chumney ruled that the 2x All-Star acted in self-defense.

Either way, those were some dark days for a team that finished as the second seed in the 2022-23 season. But it looks like the Memphis faithful wouldn’t have to worry about such incidents anymore. Let’s take a look at what the fans had to say in response to the Ja-Edey workout video.

“It’s over for the league”: Ja Morant and Zach Edey putting in the work ahead of preseason has fans excited

With the Memphis Grizzlies hard at the search for a starting center, the primary concern nearly everyone had was how he would fit alongside Morant in the pick-and-rolls. Morant’s mastery over pick-and-rolls needs no explanation! A combination of power and speed while shifting directions as smooth as butter along with bruising centers like Jonas Valanciunas and Steven Adams has crushed many an opponent.

Hence, watching the 305-pound Edey seamlessly work in tandem with the lithe Morant alone was enough for the fans to breathe a sigh of relief. One of the first reactions of this fan was to issue a warning to the league. “It’s over for the league,” commented the hardcore NBA faithful. Quite a tall responsibility for Morant and Edey, but it just goes to show the trust they have in this new partnership. This next fan had a similar line of thought. “Ohh yesss this is what I want to freaking see we are so back baby.” 

Tweeting a photo shared by Ja, the Grizzlies fan page wrote, “Ja and Edey in the lab,” followed by a side-eye emoji, no doubt referring to the anticipation of wanting to see them on the court.

Meanwhile, this next individual had high praise for the duo. “HOF BRICKWALL+ HOF QUICK FIRST =CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD.” While the Hall of Fame part is certain, the championship gold is something Memphis fans will have to wait for a little while longer. For one, they will have a tough battle in the West alone. And this is a season where one too many teams are vying for that Larry O’Brien, in the absence of which a few of them will have to pay heavily.

And finally, LeBron James’ official fan page, Bron Muse, commented, “Definitely watching the Grizzlies next season,” followed by a pair of fire emojis. A sentiment echoed by many, no doubt.

Are you excited for the Grizzlies 2024-25 season? Do you think a Ja Morant-Zach Edey partnership would be beneficial for the team? Let us know in the comments.

 Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.