The Cavs are something like what the Grizzlies could be. They made it clear Friday night.

Basketball players, like other humans, are complex, and maybe Morant more than most. There’s no precise formula to get the best of Morant on the floor with mood, health, on-court approach and on-court outcomes all interrelated.

Ja Morant’s last shot missed, costing the Grizzlies the game against New York. But he had 25 points and seven assists in this one. It was 29 and eight against Phoenix. It was 21 and 10 in a close loss to Cleveland. And 23 and five in the win at Orlando.

In this first installment of the Mid-Season Mailbag, Herrington takes questions on the trade deadline, the post-deadline Western Conference landscape and the team’s core stars. 

Was the draft-pick cost of the deal and the short-term risk of sapping the team’s depth and experience worth whatever flexibility is gained next summer? 

Related content: 

Grizzlies trade Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia in three-team deal

Grizzlies trade deadline day: Will Marcus Smart be on the move?

A single loss has to be pretty bad to wipe away the good vibes of a six-game winning streak.

The Grizzlies have hit the midpoint of the NBA season, so it is time for the mid-season check-in. Are the Grizzlies a contender? How are the stars and supporting cast? How’s the system?

No evidence of Grizzlies interest in Jimmy Butler doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no interest. But if you look closely at the parameters and complications of a potential Butler deal, it still feels pretty unlikely.

This year’s list gives us strippers, tennis players, boys, daughters, jurors and hundreds of beavers. Plus, there are “Special Jury (of One)” prizes.

The NBA trade deadline isn’t until Feb. 6, but Chris Herrington looks at a handful of potential targets for Memphis.

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Grizzlies Insider: Which current team do Memphis fans dislike the most?

All-Defense, All-NBA and All-Star should all be in play for Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. How likely are they?

It’s time again for the quarterly Memphis Grizzlies Mailbag. In this edition, Herrington talks about the NBA team and also gets into movies and Christmas.

Ja Morant is back in flight and back in control, dominating the game with the Trail Blazers with 22 points and 11 assists in only 23 minutes.

From the team’s “New Offense” to defensive fundamentals, here are Chris Herrington’s 10 takeaways from the Grizzlies’ season so far. 

Friday night in San Francisco, the Grizzlies will complete their first West Coast road trip against a team that’s so far had even more success this season with a similar approach: the Golden State Warriors.

The Grizzlies have labeled Ja Morant “week-to-week,” a purgatory where he joins backcourt mate Desmond Bane. Can the Grizzlies go on to win without the two as the schedule grows more difficult?

A few thoughts from Chris Herrington the morning after the Grizzlies’ 119-106 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

The single most notable thing about the Grizzlies to start the season has been just how deep and flat the rotation has been, despite missing three or four rotation-quality players in most games. 

This opener at FedExForum was a show: The blend of athleticism, creativity and personality that marks NBA hoops at its most enjoyable.

Chris Herrington’s four next-day reactions to the Grizzlies’ 126-124 opening win Wednesday over the Utah Jazz. The four involve Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Jay Huff and Marcus Smart.

From Ja’s return to lineup/rotation guesses and suggestions, catch all 10 of Chris Herrington’s takeaways from preseason play.

While an NBA truism is that the biggest stars win titles, the belief here is that depth will be of increasing importance in the regular season.

Call it a double do-over. Given the opportunity to second guess their decisions on Kennard and Smart, the Grizzlies have instead chosen a second chance for both. 

Extension or not, Santi Aldama and Brandon Clarke both could be crucial for the Grizzlies, especially early this season. 

Monday’s media day had all the usual media day moments, but this media day was grounded in high hopes and high expectations, despite coming off a 27-win season.