MEMPHIS – The most compelling scene of the Grizzlies’ three-day training camp in Nashville played out on a practice court well after one particular session ended.
As coaches, staffers and some players were gathering to leave Belmont University’s athletic complex, class remained in session at the far end of the court for one group.
Jaren Jackson Jr. remains a month away from being re-evaluated and cleared from the final stages of rehab to return from offseason toe surgery. Yet there stood the two-time NBA All-Star and recent league defensive player of the year, in the middle of the paint.
His eyes were locked on Ja Morant.
His ears were open to receive insight and instruction.
His mission was to establish continuity with Morant and the other designated starters as they walked through a menu of pick-and-roll sets that will be staples of the Grizzlies’ offense. It was a clear example of the group clocking overtime after camp practices to get in lockstep.
“Lately, we’ve been around each other because now, if he’s setting ball screens, it’s something he hasn’t really done before,” Morant explained of the mental reps Jackson is getting even while yet to be a full-go physically. “So, he’s asking questions. And that’s what I’m here for. He will be in the screens, and he will get screens. He will definitely be on the wing and in the post, wherever. There’s nothing he can’t do.”
Jackson and Morant are entering their seventh season as not only teammates in Memphis, but specifically the foundational core the Grizzlies are built upon. However, the star duo also enters new territory with coach Tuomas Iisalo approaching his first full season at the helm.
For six years, a combination of injuries, absences, coaching style changes and player preferences have contributed to either an unwillingness or the inability of Jackson and Morant to fully develop a two-man game. Iisalo is committed to ensuring that changes.
“He’s a unicorn,” Iisalo, the first Finnish-born coach in NBA history, described of Jackson’s unique size and versatile skillset. “There’s not many of those in the world.”
Unlocking and eventually unleashing Jackson’s and Morant’s full potential in tandem is one of the key underlying priorities of the Grizzlies’ preseason preparation. Heading into Saturday’s Open Practice at FedExForum, fans will see a team working diligently along two tracks.
One direction has the team installing a full-court, disruptive defense and a quick-trigger, mismatch identifying offense that incorporates as many as five new players into the rotation.
That process literally placed free agent signees Ty Jerome, Jock Landale and Olivier-Maxence Prosper on the same training camp fast track as veteran trade acquisition Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rookie draft picks Cedric Coward and Javon Small.
Iisalo’s staff and Morant pushed through the week to get that group up to speed as the Grizzlies prepare for a five-game preseason slate that opens Monday at home against the Pistons.
Along the other track, Iisalo and Morant are intentional about walking Jackson and center Zach Edey through the necessary steps and mental reps to help them transition as seamlessly as possible when cleared to play.
Jackson is projected to be back as early as the opening week of the season, which starts Oct. 22 at home against the Pelicans. Edey, who had an NBA All-Rookie season as the starting center, will be re-evaluated in five-to-eight weeks coming off June ankle surgery.
Indications are the Grizzlies returned Friday to Memphis on schedule with both short-term and longer-term objectives.
“The most important thing always is to establish a strong identity, and that means we were coming in and wanting to be a team that plays with (high) pace,” Iisalo shared from his camp checklist. “We were able to do this. We want to be a team that puts the team first and has a very high level of organization on the court. We were able to do this.”
Iisalo then explained that another goal was to build a foundation of the relentless effort required to outwork opponents every night over the course of a 48-minute game.
“All three of those things, we were throughout camp,” Iisalo continued. “It was extremely impressive that guys went through live practices, and the best one was (the last one). There was a dip at one point in practice, and the coaches and players got together to challenge each other to push through, to pick it up again, and we did. That was the best thing to happen all camp.”
Morant described the week as the toughest and best opening of camp he’s ever experienced.
“Normally, you come in and everybody is anxious and excited and full of energy, but you mess up coverages and stuff,” Morant said. “We did those things, but we were still locked in. Guys were paying attention to everything coach was saying, and we were very attention to detail out there with coverages and plays, positions and all that stuff. So, that’s a big plus for us.”
Caldwell-Pope, a key contributor on two NBA championship teams, vouched for the foundation being set in Memphis.
“It’s definitely different,” Caldwell-Pope said. “These are guys that I’m older than now after being in the league 13 years. But for them to have the knowledge of the game and know it inside and out like this is great. It’s just learning from these guys. I’m seeing something every day from them about how it goes in this organization and what we’re striving to do.”
Jerome, who was an NBA Sixth Man of the Year finalist on a 64-win Cavaliers team last season, is ready to work through some camp kinks and build preseason chemistry.
“We’re overdoing it now, so it might look a little sloppier than we might want it to be,” Jerome pointed out. “But we’re trying to preach those really good habits that we’re trying to have of how fast we can play and how aggressive we can be on defense. And then, we’ll get the organization piece together later.”
Landale, who will likely step into the starting center role to open the season, described the week’s work succinctly.
“You find comfort in being uncomfortable,” Landale assessed. “Keeping that intensity, that bedlam, is going to be important. From head to toe, it was one hell of a training camp.”
With camp initiatives accomplished, the Grizzlies will now measure progress in the preseason.