Star level guard Ja Morant believes back-to-back school Participant of the 12 months Zach Edey could have a powerful debut season within the NBA, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Industrial Enchantment. Edey, who performed 4 years at Purdue, was chosen by the Grizzlies with the No. 9 total choose in June’s draft.
“Positively rookie of the yr,” Morant stated of his expectations for Edey. “I believe simply, too.”
As Cole writes, Edey labored out along with his new teammate earlier this summer time and Morant got here away impressed.
“For him to return in and say he desires to work out with me after which getting by the exercise all through the entire week, it was big-time for him,” Morant stated. “It made me excited to have him on the group. His ability set is even a lot better.”
Right here’s extra from the Southwest:
- Morant was suspended for the primary 25 video games of final season, performed 9 video games, after which suffered a shoulder harm which required season-ending surgical procedure in January (Memphis went 6-3 with him and 21-52 with out him). Nonetheless, he was cleared for contact work in early July and is absolutely wholesome forward of coaching camp, in keeping with Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Morant estimated he was at 75% energy in late July. Fellow Grizzlies guard Marcus Sensible, who was restricted to twenty video games final season attributable to a litany of accidents, additionally makes ESPN’s checklist of key participant returns to observe for 2024/25, as does Pelicans ahead Zion Williamson, who’s absolutely recovered from the left hamstring pressure he suffered late final season, per Andrew Lopez.
- Jack Tien-Dana of RealGM weighs the professionals and cons of Mavericks star Luka Doncic being bodily stronger and heavier than he was when he first got here within the league, writing that the 25-year-old and Dallas might want to “reconcile a collection of contradictions” to get the most effective out of the All-NBA guard deep within the playoffs.
- In a subscriber-only story for his Substack, Dallas Hoops Journal, Grant Afseth says Mavericks ahead P.J. Washington may very well be the group’s “X-factor” heading into 2024/25. With the intention to optimally complement Doncic and Dallas’ different starters, Washington might want to grow to be a extra constant outdoors shooter, Afseth observes. Washington entered final season with a profession mark of 36.6% from three-point vary, however shot simply 32.0% from past the arc in ’23/24.
- The Rockets introduced again Jeff Inexperienced and Aaron Vacation as a result of they confirmed they may very well be productive when referred to as upon final season regardless of having inconsistent roles, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). The 2 veterans are additionally valued for his or her management, Feigen notes. The Rockets opted to ensure Inexperienced’s $8MM wage for 2024/25, whereas Vacation re-signed with Houston on two-year, $9.6MM deal in free company.
