|
Ja Morant was watching. He tweeted the eyeball emoji just in case anyone was wondering.
And then the names were listed. The NBA on TNT crew went down the line naming the first, second and third All-NBA teams. Charles Barkley clowned around and questioned the order the names should be announced.
Morant, from wherever he was viewing the broadcast, was surely not laughing.
Drew Hill: Ja Morant’s All-NBA miss has Memphis contract implications
The superstar Grizzlies point guard did not make any of the All-NBA teams, a miss that will cost him $39 million over the next five years because he is not eligible for a “supermax” contract.
Morant, based on his social media interactions, appeared to feel snubbed. But did he actually get the short end of the stick?
The answer to that question likely depends on who you ask and what they value.
Statistically, Morant belongs among the guards who claimed the six All-NBA spots. He averaged 26.2 points per game this season for the Grizzlies, good enough for 11th-best in the NBA.
The Grizzlies also played their stars fewer minutes than the average NBA team this season, meaning Morant reached his points per game number in fewer minutes than his All-NBA competition. In points per 36 minutes, Morant ranked sixth in the league among qualifying players (29.5).
Drew Hill: Jaren Jackson Jr. makes NBA’s first All-Defensive team, Dillon Brooks on second team
That mark is ahead of Donovan Mitchell (28.5) and De’Aaron Fox (27), who both landed on All-NBA teams. It is just behind Steph Curry (30.6), but Curry played just 56 games this season, so he does not qualify as a league leader.
Morant also ranked 16th overall in player efficiency rating this season, which is also better than Fox and Mitchell. The Memphis star averaged 8.1 assists per game, better than all of the All-NBA guards who finished ahead of him.
Morant’s 61 games played this season are four more than he played in 2021-22, when he finished second-team All-NBA. It’s more games than Curry and Damian Lillard played.
Oh yeah! And the Grizzlies finished second in the Western Conference. You can’t forget about that.
So, yes, on paper Morant would have been plenty deserving of an All-NBA spot.
Chris Herrington: Herrington: What the NBA’s new rules mean for the Memphis Grizzlies
But the race was undeniably close, which makes voters search for reasons to separate the top six from the top seven or eight.
(As someone who has voted on these honors before, I can tell you that it can be very challenging. There is no way to satisfy everyone.)
Morant’s mistake was giving voters an easy way to sliver out of any sort of explanation for leaving him off their list because he was suspended for eight games for conduct detrimental to the league.
That is NOT to suggest that Morant’s suspension shouldn’t be factored in when considering All-NBA candidates. Of course, it should be.
Drew Hill: Memphis Grizzlies offseason points to ponder
But some voters will certainly weigh it differently than others. In a year that the race is so close, it turned out to be particularly bad timing for Morant.
So if the superstar point guard wants to feel snubbed by the vote, that seems fair. But it shouldn’t spark any outrage, either.
Stay in the action and follow us on the Daily Memphian Sports Facebook page. If you’re a Daily Memphian subscriber, we appreciate your support. If not, consider signing up for unlimited access to all of our sports coverage.
More from your Insider:
The All-Star Grizzlies guard misses out on escalator clause in his five-year max contract extension signed last summer.
Collective bargaining agreement. Are your eyes glazing over yet?
Jaren Jackson Jr. received more first-team votes (96) than any other player. It is the second time in his career that he has made the NBA’s All-Defensive first team.
At this time of the year, with the NBA’s best still fighting it out in the playoffs, teams like Taylor Jenkins’ can only look forward.
Drew Hill and Chris Herrington sound off on the Grizzlies’ split with Dillon Brooks and what is ahead in the offseason.
..... |
