Ja Morant discussed his expectations for the Grizzlies this season, where he ranks among point guards, etc. with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto
After leading Memphis to its first playoff berth in four seasons, Grizzlies star Ja Morant has bigger goals in mind for the team and himself.
Morant spoke with HoopsHype before training camp to discuss his expectations for the Grizzlies and himself this season. Morant also explained where he ranks among point guards in the league, what the return of a healthy Jaren Jackson Jr. will mean for the team, why Dillon Brooks deserves more respect, and why he’s become an investor in Hyperice training products.
Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan predict what the future holds for Kevin Love, TJ Warren, Eric Gordon and Robert Covington on HoopsHype.
On the latest HoopsHype podcast, hosts Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan answered questions from fans via Twitter on various topics. What will the Pacers do after the TJ Warren and Edmond Sumner injuries? Could Eric Gordon be traded? Who are trade targets for the Celtics? What are the futures of Kevin Love and Robert Covington? Who will the Lakers add?
For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below.
Many players are signing veteran extensions and avoiding free agency, making an already dry free agency market even more of a drought.
The 2021 offseason went from being very hyped to a being very slow one relative to the past few years. Barring a trade or two involving a couple ofall-stars, Kyle Lowry may have been the biggest name to change teams this offseason. Despite there being more projected cap space this offseason than in 2020, several teams like Dallas, Miami, Toronto, and New Orleans all opted to operate over the salary cap at the last minute. The lack of marquee names led teams to decrease their spending power which overall depressed the market.
Can we expect a more robust market in 2022? It seems as the opposite is happening with many veterans are rushing to lock down their money now through extensions to avoid free agency. This was an expected consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of revenue it caused. The rate that the salary cap rose prior to 2020 made potential earnings in the free agency market significantly exceed what players can get through their maximum veteran extension amounts. Now players are incentivized to stay with their teams and earn more with them, especially maximum players.
Where does this leave the amount of potential cap space teams? As of now, only four teams are projected to generate maximum cap space, and it’s possible most of these teams eliminate theirs if they extend certain key players on their roster.
While most teams improved themselves for the upcoming season, here are a few teams that made decisions with the long-term in mind.
It’s hard to distinguish a winner of the offseason that stands out from the rest this year. With the exception of a few teams, most made moves with the present in mind. Only a few made decisions that will reward them at least one year from now.
A loss against Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics may have signaled the end of Pau Gasol’s illustrious playing career, and if that is the case, what a sensational career it was. It goes without saying, Gasol accomplished a lot in the NBA – namely, …
A loss against Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics may have signaled the end of Pau Gasol’s illustrious playing career, and if that is the case, what a sensational career it was.
It goes without saying, Gasol accomplished a lot in the NBA – namely, winning two championships and having six All-Star and four All-NBA appearances – but it was in the summer when he was most dominant, playing with Spain in countless tournaments that usually ended in a medal and with him in MVP contention.
Below, check out all the accolades put together by the best FIBA player ever.
Lakers trade talks involving Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell’s player option decision, Gary Trent’s market value, and NBA draft trade talks.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies kick-started the excitement before Thursday’s draft by agreeing to a trade involving Jonas Valanciunas, Eric Bledsoe, and Steven Adams, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
With the draft two days away, trade talks are ramping up, and more trades will happen. Here’s the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered.
With the draft upon us and free agency at the end of the week, here’s a look at the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered. * The Oklahoma City Thunder , who just acquired Kelly Oubre Jr. , is looking to flip him for a first-round pick, league sources …
With the draft upon us and free agency at the end of the week, here’s a look at the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered.
* The Oklahoma City Thunder, who just acquired Kelly Oubre Jr., is looking to flip him for a first-round pick, league sources told HoopsHype. He’s entering the final year of his contract this season. As noted in our HoopsHype players most likely to be traded story, following the Chris Paul and Dennis Schroeder trades, executives believe the Thunder will continue to explore the trade market on their veterans, including Steven Adams. With Al Horfordreportedly on his way to the Thunder, Adams could be on the move sooner than later.
* The Los Angeles Clippers, who currently own the 57th overall pick, are looking to buy a pick and move up in the draft, league sources told HoopsHype.
* As noted a week ago on the HoopsHype podcast, the Boston Celtics are looking to upgrade in the frontcourt and are eyeing trading up in the draft to get Onyeka Okongwu or even James Wiseman, HoopsHype has learned the Celtics called as high as the Golden State Warriors at No. 2 overall to gauge trade interest. Marcus Smart was made available, but talks didn’t escalate.
Once the dust settles from the draft, the focus will shift to free agency right around the corner, where there are several developments.
* Gordon Hayward is the first major domino some free agents are waiting to fall. With the Atlanta Hawks trying to acquire Hayward, as Yahoo Sports reported, it could dilute the money available on the market even more. If Hayward ends up leaving Boston, it could open up the possibility for a sign-and-trade there for a free agent.
* Atlanta also has interest in Danilo Gallinari, one of HoopsHype’s top-ranked free agents this offseason,as the team looks to make a push for the playoffs next season, league sources told HoopsHype.
* The Miami Heatpreviously showed interest in the Italian forward at the trade deadline. If Giannis Antetokounmpo signs an extension with Milwaukee, some around the league expect Miami to extend Bam Adebayo, try to bring back Goran Dragic, and upgrade at forward. That could open the door for Gallinari to land with Miami as a free agent on a multi-year deal. At the trade deadline, Miami didn’t want to tie up a ton of money for the next offseason to chase Antetokounmpo. However, Milwaukee’s pending acquisitions of Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic has many convinced that Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere. If the Bogdanovic sign-and-trade falls through, as The Athletic reported could happen, it’s unclear what it’ll mean for Antetokounmpo’s future.
* Another Miami note, Heat center Kelly Olynyk is exercising his player option, as expected, a league source told HoopsHype.
* The Dallas Mavericks also had interest at the trade deadline in Gallinari and have been shopping their 18th overall pick. With Thunder GM Sam Presti collecting as many first-round picks as he can, the Mavericks can use their pick to facilitate a sign-and-trade.
As Gallinari noted during an appearance on the HoopsHype podcast, he and New York Knicks President Leon Rose remain close. If the Knicks can land a star point guard like Russell Westbrook on the trade market, it would increase the chances of New York going after Gallinari in free agency. Another relationship that’s worth noting is Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem previously represented Gallinari when he was an agent. Currently, Arn’s son, Michael Tellem of CAA Sports, represents Gallinari. However, both teams are headed for a rebuilding season, which would lessen their desire to make a run at Gallinari.
* The Hawks also had plans to make a big run at Joe Harris in free agency, but rival executives expect him to remain with the Brooklyn Nets and land a three or four-year deal worth an average of $18 million annually. The Charlotte Hornets were another team who had Harris on their wish list, but the team is expected to pivot towards less expensive guards who can provide veteran leadership and shooting off the bench instead.
* The Hawks have also been heavily linked to Rajon Rondo, who they view as a potential veteran mentor and backup to Trae Young. A multi-year deal could entice Rondo to join the rebuilding Hawks, HoopsHype has learned.
* Another veteran who could be changing teams is Paul Millsap. The Ringer reported Millsap is an expected target of the Portland Trail Blazers. Some NBA talent evaluators believe Millsap could be worth Portland’s mid-level exception this offseason.
* Finally, the Memphis Grizzlies will extend a qualifying offer to De’Anthony Melton. The 22-year-old guard becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. He’s a noteworthy player who could draw an offer sheet from another team this offseason.
You can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter:@MikeAScotto
Memphis Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks is currently enjoying the best season of his professional career, averaging 15.6 points per game thus far.
Memphis Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks is currently enjoying the best year of his professional career, averaging 15.6 points per game thus far. Brooks, who was selected in the second round of the 2017 NBA draft, recently signed a three-year, $35 million deal to remain with the Grizzlies.
HoopsHype spoke to him about some of his takeaways on the season.
You were a lead cheerleader on the floor against the Brooklyn Nets. Can you walk me through some of the moves that you were doing out there to support your teammates?
Dillon Brooks: Yeah yeah yeah! After every three-pointer, I put the firework in the ground and then light it and then let it fly up there and it goes like “pew!” every time. I’ll sometimes plant multiple fireworks in the ground so it can fly up. But we have fun on the bench. As a group, we all love each other and we all want the best for each other. We have a super friendship. That’s why you see it all come together on the court, which is amazing. I love these guys and I love playing with them. It is why I signed so early. I want to be a part of this and be a part of the surge of the next-gen. I just love playing with these guys.
How much do you think the chemistry on this team has played on your winning?
DB: It’s great. We’re learning really fast. The only way you learn winning fast is if you do it at 100 percent. Guys are going 100 percent and feeding off each other. Once we put one guy in, they fit right in and they learn the culture that we are building. It’s a tribute to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. and those guys that bring it every single night. The guys follow suit and while we’re here we lead by example. We’ve got a couple of vets here that talk about their experiences in the league and that’s always good for the young guys. But we have fun out there. We play our game and also know each other’s games to a T.
Before the game, coach Jenkins told me that you were one of the most competitive guys he has met. I know you have a ton of confidence. With that in mind, how much would a playoff run mean to you?
DB: It would mean so much. I feel like teams don’t want to see us. We’re like that wildcard team. We feel like we’re underdogs this year. We’re playing free and we’re playing fast. We’re playing defense and we want to learn this stuff organically. We’ve got guys that work the same way as me. Our young guys work the same way. They want to feed off that. It’s a tribute to coming out every single day in practice and shooting and treatment and weights. We do it one hundred percent, which we always talk about.
How would you personally describe your competitive nature?
DB: It can get over the top. When I came out of college, I never thought I was going to be playing defense the way I’m playing now. But that’s what my first coach told me. You’re only going to get on the floor if you can play defense so I raised my level and tried to make myself competitive on the defensive end. I knew my offense would come. I’m a scorer. So I want to lock you up and then come back and give you a bucket and then talk a little bit and do the same thing and keep the motor every time so my team can see that and raise their levels as well.
Do you think your team plays with a bit of a chip on your shoulder? For example, you and Ja were both very vocal about someone on the roster who decided not to report to the team. Do you channel that energy into your competitiveness?
DB: Yeah, of course. Our teammates ride with us. That’s the beauty of this. We always have each other’s backs. That’s why the Golden State Warriors were so great. That’s why the Cleveland Cavaliers were so great. They all had friendships off the court, too. When you care about somebody like that, you are going to try to do the most for them. I think that is what we have here and I think that is what we had in my college days, too. But it was different when I got here in my first year. This culture is changing and we have chemistry and guys love playing with each other. Meeting with the coaching staff and the front office and talking the game, it’s always a great thing to have that type of love and emotion in the locker room.
Assuming everything goes as expected, do you still plan to participate with Team Canada in the Olympics?
Jamal Murray R.J. Barrett Dillon Brooks Dwight Powell Cory Joseph Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson Nik Stauskas Kelly Olynyk Justin Jackson Trey Lyles
That's a potentially interesting 2020 Olympic team even without …. Andrew Wiggins.
DB: Yeah, absolutely. We are going to make a run. Hopefully, we can beat that virus so we can get over there and play. But I want to make history. I know we have a lot of guys in the league right now like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray and Tristan Thompson and Kelly Olynyk. We all want to make history. We think we could go the whole way. We’ve got guys in this league right now that are stars.
What do you think are the biggest ways that you have improved since your time in college on the Oregon Ducks?
DB: I’ve improved my dribbling. I’ve improved learning the NBA game and watching the best players in this league, trying to replicate that and practice it the way they do. Each time I get a new coach, I try to figure out how I can fit myself into their system and that is the hardest thing because each coach has a different scheme and other different things they do. You have to think on the fly and keep your confidence up regardless of what is happening. I also try to learn from each player that comes through here. We’ve had a lot come through here. I try to learn from all the great players in this league.
Staying on the topic of Oregon, their men’s basketball team has been playing well once again this year. What do you think of their shots at making a run in March Madness?
DB: I feel like they always have a shot. There is always a point and time in a year for a team coached by Dana Altman where his coaching gets amazing and guys follow suit and they always go on a run. I always support Oregon and Dana, who did so much for me as a basketball player and as a man. He taught me a lot. He taught everyone in that locker room. There is one thing he said: you’re never going to forget these memories, who you played with and what you guys did. These memories are helped by winning and doing those things. So he pushed us to win because that helps bring you to the NBA. He believed in me and that’s why I’m in this position right now.
Speaking of which, you’ve had the chance to play with former Oregon star players Jordan Bell and Tyler Dorsey now in the NCAA. What is it like being able to play with your old college teammates at the next level and see those dreams come true?
DB: It was great being with them. We understood that our time together wasn’t over. Tyler went overseas and Jordan, when he was waived last month, I told him that I’ve always got him. Those guys are my brothers. We always meet up in the summer. We always hang out. Jordan was always coming to my house when he was on the team and so was Tyler. I always look out for those guys, they are my dogs. Same with Chris Boucher. He is playing so well right now on the Raptors. I love watching my guys play and succeed and watching them go through life, go through different adversities. How are they going to respond?
Is that why you still rep those Oregon shoes that you wore during the game today or is that just because of the fashion associated with them?
Photo obtained with permission from Dillon Brooks by USA TODAY Sports Media Group
DB: Both. They send me a lot of shoes. But I’m bringing out my own. I always rep Oregon. These were Hyperdunks from 2017. They were custom for me, not even player edition sneakers. They were made for me because I hurt my foot. I have four or five pairs in different colors.
Before we go, I would love if you could just walk me through this outfit that you are wearing tonight.
DB: The pants are some old AMIRI. I’ve got Dior on my feet. I just bought the top, it’s from Off-White. I like putting stuff together. I like the color contrasting. I like making myself look good and feel confident with the drip. It’s light work. It’s comfortable, too.
What about the glasses? I know you wear those indoors a lot, too, which is definitely a look.
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DB: Always, man. Ever since my rookie year – actually, even when I was in college – I’ve done that. I always wear glasses indoors. You see things with a different shade. These are made by Louis Vouitton.
You told CloseUp360’s Josh Martin that you’re the best-dressed guy on the team. Would you still say that after the recent moves by the squad?
DB: Yeah. We’ve got some new guys so I have to see what they’re dealing with. But I feel like I am. Honestly, I want to see what Ja Morant wears when he is trying to dress up. Because he mostly pulls up in tracksuits. So one time, it’d be great to see him with jeans on or something.
