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Why Grizzlies must give unheralded player a shot amid Ja Morant’s uncertain future
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- Why Grizzlies must give unheralded player a shot amid Ja Morant’s uncertain future
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As the Memphis Grizzlies navigate more absences than highlights, the same question is getting asked in countless ways. What does the future look like if Ja Morant is no longer the answer? Well, Ty Jerome is showing Tuomas Iisalo and the front office what a cost-effective solution looks like. While much of the league's attention remains fixed on Morant's availability and trade rumors, Jerome has quietly posted All-Star-caliber numbers.
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Jerome is currently the only player in Memphis averaging more than 20 points per game (20.9), surpassing both Jaren Jackson Jr. (19.5) and Morant (19.2) in scoring output this season. It's a small sample size , granted, but the statistical profile suggests Jerome is more than just a "hot hand" on a depleted team. Just look at the near triple-double through three quarters against Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets.
This season has been hard to evaluate due to the lack of a front court. However, Iisalo knows the Grizzlies have at least one locker room leader in place for next season.
"Ty has been very solid for us the whole time," Iisalo stated. "He has turned into one of the premier creators in the whole league, able to create shots for himself and others."
Jerome leads the Grizzlies in 3-point attempts (6.6) and is shooting better than 40% from beyond the arc, the hallmark of an elite modern point guard. Perhaps most impressively, Jerome is reaching the free-throw line nearly as often as Morant but maintains a field goal percentage 8% higher than Morant's.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Like Ja, Ty has a target on his back, given the shorthanded nature of a roster that has been reduced to two-way players, 10-day contract signings, and 42-year-old Taj Gibson. Still, Jerome turns the ball over just 1.9 times per game, compared to Morant's 3.6. His 5.4 assists per game trail Morant's 8.1, but the raw numbers do not fully capture the circumstances.
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"(Jerome) gets the toughest assignments every night…a lot of length, a lot of physicality on him," explained Iisalo. "They try to get the ball out of his hands, but somehow he always finds a way."
Even under the microscope, Jerome's statistical profile stacks up favorably with starting guards around the league returning from injury. For example, his production compares well with Dejounte Murray (New Orleans Pelicans). Murray is averaging 19.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 35.1% from three and committing 3.4 turnovers per game. Jerome's scoring, efficiency, and ball protection all come out ahead in that comparison.
The financial implications are just as important. Jerome is under contract for $9.2 million in the 2026-27 season, a fraction of Morant's $42.4 million cap hit and well below Murray's $32.8 million salary. In a league where roster flexibility often determines whether teams can chase contention, that difference in salary cap optionality could prove crucial.
That contract disparity is where Jerome's value becomes genuinely transformative for the Grizzlies. His cheap deal frees up substantial room for frontcourt additions this offseason, giving the front office flexibility that would evaporate if the franchise were forced to pay market rate for comparable point guard play. If Morant is traded this summer, the 28-year-old would provide a credible, affordable bridge rather than a glaring void.
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Jerome could also serve as a mentor. A rookie point guard added through the draft would benefit from playing alongside a steady veteran who values efficiency and decision-making. With Cedric Coward, Walter Clayton Jr., Cam Spencer, Scottie Pippen Jr., and Jaylen Wells all capable of contributing to ball-handling duties, a Jerome-anchored backcourt could help develop whoever eventually assumes the lead guard role long-term.
For a team navigating uncertainty around one of its biggest stars, that stability could be invaluable. Jerome may not have arrived in Memphis with the fanfare of a franchise cornerstone, but his breakout season has quietly given the Grizzlies something every front office covets. Options over everything is the rule for all rebuils. And with Morant's future still a major question mark, the Grizzlies may soon have a strong reason to see just how far Jerome's rise can go.
Related: Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward shares honest reaction to upset win vs. Nuggets
Related: Grizzlies lose another player to season-ending surgery
