Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (shoulder) is on schedule with his recovery and is expected to be cleared for basketball activities halfway through the offseason. The Grizzlies star had his 2023-24 campaign limited to only nine games after he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in January. Despite missing the first 25 games of the season with a suspension, Morant was on fire right away when he returned to the court, posting 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. Hopefully, Morant doesn't suffer any setbacks over the summer, and we can finally enjoy his talents over the course of a full season. Various issues have resulted in Morant playing in only 190 regular-season the past four years.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (shoulder) will undergo season-ending surgery. The 24-year-old suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder on Saturday. After experiencing soreness, he underwent an MRI. Unfortunately, the results weren't good, with the MRI revealing a labral tear in Morant's shoulder. It's a tough blow for Morant, who returned to the court in December after serving a 25-game suspension. In nine appearances this season, he averaged 25.1 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.8 rebounds. The Grizzlies struggled without the 2019 No. 2 overall pick, although the team was 6-3 when he was on the floor. Nevertheless, with Morant out of the equation, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Jaren Jackson Jr. should get more scoring opportunities. Additionally, guys like Luke Kennard, Jacob Gilyard, ... [More]

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (shoulder) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. Morant sat out of Sunday's game as well due to right shoulder soreness. His absence allowed Luke Kennard to move into the starting five. However, Vince Williams Jr. was the better fantasy option between the two. Williams scored 19 points with nine rebounds and two blocks in 37 minutes. He figures to have a similar role on Tuesday, which should make him worth a look in fantasy leagues.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Morant is dealing with right shoulder soreness, but has only missed one game since he returned from his suspension. Vince Williams Jr. (foot) started in that one game Morant missed, but he's also questionable for Sunday. That means, Ziaire Williams and Luke Kennard would see bigger roles if both players are forced to sit out. Fantasy managers will have to check back closer to tip-off for another update.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Denver Nuggets. Morant was questionable coming into this game, but will ultimately sit out due to an illness. The expectation is that Marcus Smart will move over to the point guard spot, while Desmond Bane shifts to shooting guard. Vince Williams Jr. and Ziaire Williams are the two favorites to move into the starting five with Morant sidelined. Neither of them are great streaming options as Smart and Bane are the better DFS options or streaming choices for Thursday's slate.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant can travel and practice with the team while serving his 25-game suspension. The 24-year-old was observed displaying a handgun during an Instagram video back in May, resulting in the league taking action. Morant, undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the National Basketball Association, will still draw interest from fantasy managers, even with the suspension. Considering he's permitted to practice and travel, it shouldn't take him long to return to All-Star form once he's allowed to take the floor in a few months.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will meet with the NBPA to discuss the possibility of appealing his 25-game suspension. The Player's Association released a statement criticizing the league's "unstated conditions" that Morant must meet before he can return. But considering this is the second offense for the 23-year-old, an appeal may not do any good. That said, while Morant is one of the best players in the league, he has a way to go before earning the trust of fantasy managers heading into the 2023-24 campaign, with his stock unlikely to change even with a reduced suspension.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has had some well-documented issues off of the court in regard to flashing weapons on social media. After sitting out for eight games this past season and having a meeting with Adam Silver, he ended up making the same mistake. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Morant will be suspended for 25 games this coming season. The Grizzlies were able to stay afloat with Morant out for various reasons this year, but they ultimately fell flat in the first round of the playoffs. Now, with their roster in question, they'll miss their superstar point guard for the first quarter of the season.

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reported he reached a decision on a potential punishment for Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. However, Silver will wait until the conclusion of the NBA Finals before making an announcement. Memphis suspended Morant on May 14 while the league investigated another social media post involving the All-Star brandishing what appeared to be a handgun. Considering Morant was suspended eight games during the season for a similar incident, fantasy managers should expect a longer suspension, especially since Silver revealed the league "uncovered a fair amount of additional information.". Fortunately, Memphis has Tyus Jones, who averaged 16.4 points, 8.1 assists, 1.8 steals, and shot 41.5% from deep in 22 starts in 2022-23. If Morant misses time, Jones' fantasy value will skyrocket.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant will likely get a lengthy suspension for his latest gun-waving incident, according to ESPN's NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. "I think Ja Morant is facing a lengthy, a significant suspension to start next season if indeed that was a firearm in his hand in that video," said Wojnarowski on ESPN's Get Up. The 23-year-old has currently been suspended from all team activities for the incident pending an investigation. Morant's suspension will play a major factor in fantasy hoops next season, with Tyus Jones set to begin the campaign as Memphis' starting point guard. He averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 22 starts this season.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended from all Grizzlies activities for the near future. Morant was seen flashing a firearm on social media and the league is investigating the incident. This is the second run-in with firearms for Morant after being suspended for eight games at the end of the regular season. It remains to be seen if the league will punish Morant further, but if he were to miss significant time for the upcoming season, Tyus Jones would be a must-roster player.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was able to put up only 10 points and the team was no match to the Lakers Friday in Game 6 of the first-round series. The Grizzlies got blown out by 40 points, with Morant managing just three makes from the field with 16 attempts. He also notched five rebounds and six assists with three steals. This was an ugly ending to an otherwise outstanding season for Morant. He had career-high numbers in multiple categories, and as a 23-year-old, Morant is still a young player who has plenty of room to grow.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant seems like he's not experiencing much pain if any at all, as he didn't appear on the team's injury report for their contest on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 3, the star point guard registered 45 points and almost put up a triple-double. His presence is much-needed as the higher-seeded Grizzlies try to avoid going down 3-1 in the series.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant had a fantastic game with 45 points and 13 assists Saturday against the Lakers. He shot 13-for-26 from the field and 6-for-10 from three-point range while falling just one rebound short of a triple-double. Morant's work included scoring 22 straight points for the team in the fourth quarter. However, despite his heroics, the Grizzlies still dropped the game and have now lost both games in which Morant has played in the series. He is battling through a hand injury, which makes Morant's Saturday's performance even more special. The Grizzlies need to provide him with better support in Monday's Game 4 if they want to avoid a 3-1 deficit in the series.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (hand) is questionable for Saturday's meeting with the Lakers. The 23-year-old practiced on Friday after re-aggravating a bone bruise in his right hand. He didn't play in Game 2, allowing Tyus Jones to enter the starting lineup and finish with 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. If Morant can suit up, he likely won't be 100%, which isn't ideal for his DFS outlook. But if he can't play, Jones should be a lock for DFS lineups. The same can be said for Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, who will likely see more scoring chances with Morant off the floor.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (hand) was a full participant at practice on Friday. He didn't take contact but still did some shooting and dribbling, which is a positive step toward returning to the floor. The 23-year-old re-aggravated a bone bruise in his right hand late in Game 1 and wasn't available for Game 2. As a result, Tyus Jones started and finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. With that said, Morant is questionable heading into Game 3. But if he can't go, Jones will remain in the starting lineup and is worth a look from DFS managers.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (hand) avoided any fractures in his right hand but is still experiencing a high amount of pain at the moment. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, pain tolerance seems to be the main criterion for whether or not Morant will be on the court for Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers. The fact that the star guard said he experienced 10 out of 10 pain doesn't bode too well that he'll be fully healthy by Wednesday. Tyus Jones will most likely be a very popular play in DFS lineups, but everyone should keep tabs on Morant's status before locking in their lineups.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, there's "significant doubt" that Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (hand) will be available for the postseason meeting with the Lakers on Wednesday. The 23-year-old injured his hand after the Game 1 loss to LA. While X-rays were clean, he couldn't use his hand after the contest. That said, the Grizzlies are doing everything to get him out there without making the injury worse. However, if Morant can't go, Tyus Jones will be a lock for DFS contests.

According to Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, X-rays were negative on Ja Morant (hand). The 23-year-old was injured in the fourth quarter of the Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Morant will likely undergo more testing to determine the severity of his current ailment. However, it appears there's a chance he won't play on Wednesday for Game 2. Tyus Jones will become a must-start DFS option if that's the case.