Rob Fischer | Memphis Grizzlies Sideline Reporter

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That's BetterHelp.com slash positive. My immediate reaction was, I'm glad it's over. You know, I think I had kind of come to grips with the fact, and I think everybody in Memphis really kind of came to grips with the fact of, it would be substantial. You know, I think 16 games would be substantial, and all the way up to where it ended at 25, it's substantial. And I think it was just a matter of, let's get it over, we can move on, we can move forward, Jock can move forward, the organization can move forward as far as their off-season, and then their planning is concerned, and now knowing how many games Joe's going to miss. So I think it was a relief to just get it over with more than anything. But I'll tell you what, Amy, it's weird that, you know, normally when you have a circumstance like this where a player will be suspended for a large amount of games, you'd have backlash or uproar and people ticked off at the league and, oh, this is outrageous, but no one is saying that. Wow.

No one. I mean, it's just kind of, it was expected, and I think the numbers that were thrown out there, we landed right at it, and I think everyone's just kind of under the same umbrella of, you know, hopefully this is a lesson learned, and hopefully he'll come back stronger, and hopefully he'll get right mentally, and, you know, we can move on from this when it's over. So it was more relief than anything else, really. Jock has released another statement with an apology, and he seems sincere and seems as though he understands not just the consequences, but also that his mental health is still a challenge and he needs to address it. Why would people believe him this time? Well, I think it's a very fair question, and, you know, the bottom line is, I think Jock had to issue a statement, but I think even issuing that statement, everyone is under the same, you know, impression of your words don't matter anymore. It's now about your actions. And because, you know, we heard very similar words after the incident in Denver, the commissioner heard very similar words, and then 10 weeks later something happens. I think, though, when you take a step back from it and you look at, you know, what's happening with Ja Morant and his mental health, which we now as a society take a lot more serious than we have in the past. Ja has talked about having, you know, battles with mental health issues. So many people, you know, heard that Ja went and got help during that time when he was suspended. I don't think that help stopped after those eight days. I think it's something that continues. And something that frustrated me a lot was when Ja had another incident that everyone kept saying, oh, well, you know, I shouldn't have been fooled that he went and got help for eight days and he was supposed to be better.

Well, that's not fair. And I think anyone who's ever dealt with mental health issues, and I personally suffer from depression and bipolar suicidal depression, and so it's something I'm very close with, that the bottom line is Ja Morant's never going to be fixed. People who suffer with mental health issues, it's not like you go to a doctor for a couple of months and all of a sudden you're fixed. The decisions that Ja Morant's going to make for the rest of his life are part of this process.

You can talk to Ja Morant all you want about how his mental well-being needs to be different and what he needs to do for it to be different. But every time he comes up with a challenge in his life and has to make a decision, it's going to be something he's going to have to battle with. So this isn't something that's something that's just gone in two weeks.

It's not something that's gone in two months. This is going to be something that he's going to have to deal with the rest of his life. And it's going to be about, are you going to make better decisions? Are you going to realize how to put yourself in position to make better decisions? And those are things that he's going to have to deal with. And is he making those bad decisions because of having reckless days dealing with mental health issues? Probably. So those are things he's going to have to deal with for a long time.

I wouldn't say I'm close to Ja, but closer than most with the opportunity to get to be around him, around the team and on the bus and on the floor and after games. To me, he's not stupid. And I heard that a lot. He's not an idiot. I heard that a lot.

He's a very smart, intelligent, great IQ type of young man. And a lot of people who deal with mental issues, they are. They have those types of problems. And they have those other qualities. So I think there was a lot of unfair talk towards Ja Morant.

A lot of things that kind of struck a nerve with me. And the bottom line is we just hope that Ja gets better. And Ja gets to a better mental place.

And obviously that's where it starts. I think with all Memphis fans and those in the organization, you're concerned about Ja the person more so than you are about Ja the basketball player. Because we know when Ja the person is doing well, Ja the basketball player is elite. We're spending a few minutes with Rob Fisher who joins us from Memphis. He's the Grizzlies sideline host as well as pre and post game on Bally Sports.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. Rob, I certainly appreciate you sharing your own personal perspective on what's happening with Ja, but also what he's facing as a lifelong struggle, not something that's fixed easily. How much have you found that in the organization or with people who know him or work around him that there is compassion and empathy for what he's dealing with? Well, I think that really turned quickly. Immediately after the Denver situation, you get this video of Ja Morant in a strip club waving a gun.

It does not look good. And within two days, it was the head coach to the general manager to his teammates saying, we're here for him. We love him. And we want him to get to a better place.

And it happened quickly. Like I said, Ja's a really good young man. And from all indication from everything I know, he's a really good father.

So when you see something like this, it's disappointing. And then you feel for him. And I think you're getting that from the organization and you're getting that from his teammates for sure. And it's something that Ja's dealing with.

And I think he's got all the support in the world. I think it's funny. I talked to the team mental health doctor. Grizzlies have a mental health doctor on staff. And I talked to her about reaching out and talking to Ja.

It's amazing how many people have done that, how many former players, how many current players, just how many people look at him. And I hope he takes advantage of those people and their experiences that they've had. And hopefully that can help. And I think it's more than just going up to Ja Morant and saying, hey, Ja, don't wave a gun. Hey, don't go on Instagram with a gun. Well, no kidding.

So I think it's much deeper than that. And when you're dealing with mental health issues, I tell people all the time, my worst days are days that I would view myself as being reckless. And I think we've seen a few reckless moments from Ja Morant and hopefully he's got a lot better days ahead. But the main thing is he's got to want to do it because he certainly does have the support around him. Good.

I'm glad to hear that. What does the team need to see from him? What do people need to see from him to know that he's at least taking the right steps?

Live up to what your words are saying. Talked about being a role model for kids. You know, athletes, our athletes aren't required to be role models.

They're put in that position to have the opportunity to be role models. But it is disappointing when you see, you know, and just even that game in Denver, I won't forget it, that before the game, Ja's warming up and there are 150 kids just screaming his name the whole time. Just screaming his name. He'd turn around and he'd wave to one and 50 of them would go insane. I mean, he's a rock star and these kids love him.

His shoes are selling out. And for him to finally admit, hey, you know, I've let these kids down. Well, you did.

You did. And and because of the reckless acts that you've had, you've let kids down and he's got to be better. And, you know, he's always he's always shown an affection for children and given his shoes away and and things like that and seeing them at games and signing his jersey for them. And those things, you know, he's always got those amazing moments. And we see him with his daughter and what she means to him. You've got to fulfill that now because you're putting that obligation on yourself now and understanding that it is there and that opportunity is there. So now you've got to live it and you've got to do it and, you know, you've got to stay off social media.

That's that's that'd be a big first start. I think there are a lot of things to just I think Ja's embarrassed. I think Ja, when he came back after the Denver incident, was embarrassed in front of his teammates. And again, I'll go back to telling you, you know, reckless moments in your life. But when you deal with these things, you're embarrassed afterwards because you don't think of consequences.

You don't look at consequences. You just act and then you're embarrassed for yourself. And I'm sure he's embarrassed about what has transpired. I'm sure he's embarrassed that he's going to miss 25 games. So if anything is going to be a humbling experience or a learning experience, you would think we're at that point. And hopefully that's what he'll show is that he has learned and he has been humbled and he's willing to get help and he's willing to talk to people and he's willing to listen and he's willing to admit that there's there's an issue here.

Now, I don't know all of those things and whether or not he's gone through those steps. But those are things that I think the organization is going to have to hear for for them to be satisfied with Ja going forward. Rob Fisher is with us from Memphis Grizzlies TV.

It's after hours on CBS Sports Radio. It's hard to talk about basketball when you know that he's going through those things and those challenges. At the same time, that's what the Grizzlies do, right? They do have to figure out how to come off of this, I would say abrupt end to their playoff run.

The way that it wrapped up and certainly shy of expectations. So other than Ja, who won't be with the team for quite a while, what else are the Grizzlies focused on this offseason to try to pick up and and move forward? Well, I think even with Ja being gone for 25 games, I don't think it changes what you do going forward.

The team has been pretty deep. Now, they'll be without Brandon Clark to start the season. He's suffered a torn Achilles that same night in Denver.

Awful night in Denver. Brandon Clark, seven torn Achilles. So he'll be out for the majority of the season, if not all of the season. So that hurts a little bit depth wise. Now you're down to very heavily rotation guys with Ja and Brandon Clark, but you still have some depth.

You still feel like you're pretty good. Still feel like you could manage yourself through those 25 games, but you have a glaring hole right now, and it's not at the point guard position. You're glaring hole is with Dylan Brooks, likely not being back with the team. So you have to make a move to get yourself a starting small forward. So you need to get a starting small forward. Now, one of the great Grizzlies assets is Tyus Jones, but with Ja Moran out, are you willing to give up a Tyus Jones? Well, now your plan has to include, all right, well, we need to replace him.

Well, that could have been your plan to begin with anyway. So I don't think it changes much of what the Grizzlies are going to do. I think what I'd like to see, the Grizzlies have three picks coming up in the draft on Thursday. I don't think the Grizzlies have room on their roster for three rookies because you have to consider the Grizzlies a contender at this point. And if they're a contender, that's, that's about seven guys you have on your team that are in their first or second year that don't make much of an impact on the team.

Well, there's not enough room for that. So maybe you make some moves to move some of your younger players, or you make moves to move your draft picks to acquire other bodies. But I think obviously a starter at the three whether or not if Tyus is going to be gone, you'd have to get a point guard as well. And then you just want to add depth to this team. And you're going to have to do it cheap because you're going to be paying Desmond Bain, paying Jerry and Jackson, you're paying Ja Morant.

So you're going to have to figure out other ways to get guys. So I think I expect the Grizzlies to be very active this season. GM Zach Kleiman even said that we think we went the wrong way with having too many young guys on the team last year. So that's why I think we're going to see a very active Grizzlies team on Thursday. Well, they missed Steven Adams too for a good portion of the end of the regular season, the playoffs, and he brings that veteran experience not to mention as fiery as he is, he also seems to bring some stability when he's on the court. Rob, what would you say were the highlights of the season for the Grizzlies looking back because you don't want to throw the whole thing out as though it was a season that didn't matter because they ended up with the number two seed.

So where would you say were the positives? Well, I think we saw a lot of guys take steps, especially your young core. I think Ja took steps forward.

I think Jerry and Jackson took a big leap forward. What he's done defensively, becoming the defensive player of the year, what he's done offensively to add to that was remarkable. He had an incredible season and expect even more going forward from him. I mean, this is, this is a guy who could be multi all-star going forward because of the lack of bigs in basketball and his skill set is just different than any one of that size.

Desmond Bain took a big leap forward again until he went down with an injury and then came back and kind of struggled with it. So I, the biggest thing is, I mean, this team continues to amaze when guys are down. I mean, they've played with their starting five in the last two years, they've played 21 games with their starting five. In the last two years, they played 21 games with their starting five.

That's it. So the depth of this team is, is very good. And, and as you see teams that win championships, health is maybe one of the biggest things, if not the biggest thing that a team needs to get all the way through to win a championship. And Grizzlies, even though finishing with the two seed the last few years have had no health at whatsoever.

So that's one of the huge things. And now you go into a season you're already giving them a miss, Ja Morant for 25. So your other guys, Jaron, Desmond, Steven, can they stay healthy?

Can they get you through those first 25? And then can everybody stay healthy the rest of the year? I mean, that's, that's really what the Grizzlies are going to need.

And, and like I said, get yourself a small forward of another point guard and let's go. Before I let you go, Rob, what did you think of the Denver Nuggets run? Because they were the only team in the West that had a better record than the Grizzlies this season. Yeah, it was impressive.

And Joker is just so incredible. And every night they take the floor, most every night they take the floor, they have the best player on the floor. That showed in the postseason.

Yes. Their health showed in the postseason. And I think, you know, when you look at what the Phoenix Suns are doing right now, and with the possibility of getting Bradley Beal, all right, what about the other five guys? You look at the Denver Nuggets, their eight were better than everybody else's eight period. They were better and everybody contributed and you got big buckets, big defensive plays. I mean, Aaron Gordon was incredible. Christian Brown was great. Bruce Brown was great.

KCP was fantastic. I mean, every, you can name the team, Jeff Green, you can name the eight guys that play for Denver because they all did something. And it was impressive. They were the best team in the Western Conference all year. They were the best team in the playoffs. They were healthy and they got the best player. I mean, it was, it was quite a run and no reason to think that it couldn't be a run for the Denver Nuggets because they'll be the favorite next year. They'll have the best player on the floor every night that they take the floor. They'll have the depth again. You know, it's a matter of whether or not they can stay healthy and if they can, why not the Denver Nuggets again?

It definitely will be the team to beat. We appreciate Rob talking about the Grizzlies and what they need, but also about Ja and where he is right now. So you can find him on Twitter at The Fish Nation, love that, F-I-S-H Nation, The Fish Nation. Rob Fisher, part of the Grizzlies TV family.

Sidelines pre-imposed during the season. Rob, you know, I appreciate you and especially your willingness to share your own experience. Thank you so much.

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