Rarely does early December feel like a make-or-break point in time for an NBA team. 

But for the Grizzlies, every game as the team continues to get healthy is paramount. 

With the team providing a medical update on Luke Kennard over the weekend, let’s first take a look at the injury report and project outward:

• Kennard’s expected 2-3 week absence likely places his return around the time that Morant will be back in the mix for the Grizzlies on Dec. 19, if not a couple of games before.
• Xavier Tillman Sr. returned to the floor for the Grizzlies over the weekend, playing in the win against Dallas and loss to Phoenix. His progress makes it seem likely he will remain available. 
• Marcus Smart is approaching the three-week mark since the team announced he would return in 3-5 weeks from a foot sprain on Nov. 17. He also could return around the same time as Morant. 
• Ziaire Williams missed Saturday’s game with an illness
• Derrick Rose has not played on the second night of back-to-back games. Memphis will not play another back-to-back until Dec. 18 and 19, when Morant is scheduled to return. 

Keep those fingers crossed. If all goes well, Memphis could be as close to full strength as they will get this season just in time for Christmas. 

In the meantime, the Grizzlies will have some decisions to make.

It looks extremely unlikely that the team would move forward without Bismack Biyombo, who has been the starting center for several weeks and provides a rebounding and defensive presence.

Biyombo was added to the roster when Morant moved to the suspended list and the Grizzlies gained an additional roster spot. That will soon disappear, meaning someone would need to be waived in order to keep Biyombo around for the long haul. 

Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Xavier Tillman Sr. are the only players without guaranteed contracts next season, meaning they are the only players Memphis could waive without having dead cap space on the books for next season. Lofton, who has not been a part of the rotation, looks like the likely on-paper candidate. 

Perhaps the more interesting roster question mark is Jaylen Nowell, who signed a second 10-day hardship contract on Sunday. 

Nowell has played a full minutes load in four games for the Grizzlies and his production has been hit-or-miss.

On Saturday, he played 25 minutes and scored 19 points off the bench in a win over Dallas. He followed that up by shooting 3-for-12 as a starter against Phoenix. Overall, Nowell is shooting 36.1% from the floor and 14% from the 3-point line in a very small sample size. 

Coach Taylor Jenkins clearly likes what he sees from Nowell offensively. He moved Nowell up in the rotation to sixth-man status just two games into his stint with the team. 

There are some fans clamoring to keep him around for the long haul, too. However, that decision is much trickier than keeping Biyombo. 

Positionally, Nowell fills an important role at this moment. But let’s also keep in mind that the Grizzlies are set to return three backcourt players this month. Two of them (Morant and Kennard) are offensive weapons.

Nowell’s current deal would leave Memphis with only two games to play before the return of Morant. There is a clear case to keep him, but clear consequences if they choose to do so. 

That decision would likely be accompanied by waiving a player who will be on the books next season and, therefore, having dead cap space. Is that really what this team wants to do if they project next season (hopefully with a healthy Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke), could be better than the one they are currently fighting through?

Again, Nowell is a plenty capable player, and that’s what makes the decision so challenging.

And one more note, since Morant is part of this discussion:

It was wondered aloud by former NBA player Gilbert Arenas if Morant will actually return on Dec. 19 at New Orleans.

“NBA, I’m telling you right now, Ja Morant is coming home baby!” Arenas said on the Gil’s Arena Show. “He’s coming home, and he ain’t coming on the road Dec. 19, so you might as well take that (expletive) game off TNT. You got to come to Memphis. 

“NBA, y’all can beg this man all you want, but you’re on his bad side. He’s going to play at home. I am not going to play my first game out of suspension on the road.”

It’s a bit of a ridiculous way of thinking, if you consider that the Grizzlies have struggled in Morant’s absence this season. His team needs him on the court, obviously. 

Nothing the Grizzlies have said has suggested Morant is interested in holding out an additional game. Let’s hope that stays the case. 

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