3 players most to blame for the Grizzlies’ disappointing 0-6 start

1. Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart has been thrust haphazardly into the biggest offensive role of his life. On the surface, it hasn't been a complete disaster. He's averaging a career-high 14.7 points and 5.5 assists per game, all while leading the NBA in steals (2.8). He's still a fiery competitor and a dude you want in the locker room. In these dark and difficult times, he has carried himself with the composure of a tried and true winner.

Still, it's hard not to blame Smart for the Grizzlies' offensive impotence without Morant. Bane and Jackson continue to shoulder the primary scoring burden admirably, but Smart's inconsistency behind the 3-point line (30.0 percent) and career-high turnover rate (4.2 per game) stand out. He's being asked to do too much. That's on Morant and the front office, too, but Memphis has to be bummed that their flashy offseason acquisition isn't thriving in the role required of him.

Don't let the 2.8 steals per game fool you either. Smart has been a complete menace in passing lanes, but he's not the elite, one-man wrecking crew of 2022, when he won Defensive Player of the Year. At 29 years old, Smart is starting to dip in his effectiveness at the point of attack. Perhaps that is partially due to his effort expended on offense, but on the whole, Smart has been the most disappointing of Memphis' three truly reliable weapons. That earns him a spot here.

Morant's eventual return will help Smart, even if it results in fewer minutes and a diminished role. It will allow Smart to channel his efforts on defense while focusing on spot-up 3s, connective passes, and timely cuts on offense. For now, Smart will continue to carry a weight too heavy for his broad shoulders.

The Grizzlies were smart to swoop in for Smart in the Porzingis trade, but letting go of Dillon Brooks for PR purposes and trading De'Anthony Melton for David Roddy — only to end up with Smart as an amalgamation of those roles, with point guard duties on top — looks a bit suspect in hindsight.