How Santi Aldama can add a new wrinkle to the offense without Ja Morant

The The Memphis Grizzlies were expecting turbulence this fallbut not a complete identity crisis. Fourteen games in Tuomas Iisalois the first season, with 4-10 starts and Me Morant aside, the offense has dissipated into predictable, stagnant patterns. The silver lining has been the rise of the 24-year-old Spanish striker, whose mix of size, touch and feel offered glimmers of hope in a lackluster opening period.

Aldama has quietly become one of Iisal’s most reliable rotation pieces, averaging 12.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals on 46.3% shooting from the field. The ever-loyal supporter of the Las Palmas football club brings energy from the bench, breaks the glass (1.6 offensive rebounds per game) and plays with the versatility to fit the mold of a modern, evolving big man. However, with Ja Morant unavailable, Memphis needs more than stability. These Grizzlies need a season-saving invention. Fortunately for Iisalo, Aldama was in the lab.

Movement without Ja Morant

With Morant off the floor, the Grizzlies lack the gravitational pull to break down defenses. This is where Aldama’s untapped gameplay could become transformative. With 2.5 assists per game, Aldama shows untapped playmaking potential that could ease the pressure on Jalen Wells, Cam Spencer and Vince Williams Jr. The Grizzlies need more ways to get Jaren Jackson Jr. the ball without the former Defensive Player of the Year spending too much attention on the isolation, double tap.

Iisalo should favor using Aldama as a hub in elbow actions or a short throw as a base for the team. Individually, the wrinkle that Aldama needs is not revolutionary; it is refinement. He needs a reliable mid-post move — a turnaround jumper, a sidestep three fake, or an improved off-the-dribble game. One reliable counterattacker who makes defenders hesitate, respect multiple threats, game plan specifically for him.

Defenses are currently treating Aldama like a predictable offensive piece: shutting down his three-point attempts hard and containing his straight-line drives. Aldama’s 57.1 effective field goal percentage on offense ranks in the 68th percentile among forwards, according to Advanced NBA Statistics, but he attempts just 2.8 shots per game. Imagine him in pick-and-pop actions with Jackson Jr., sliding screens to take advantage of mismatches against struggling centers who falter in space. Or picture him at the top of the key, hitting cutters as the defense turns frantically.

In Aldama, Iisalo has a canvas of potential in the form of a fluid scorer whose growth could redefine the team’s identity. As the season drags on without its star, the rise of the Spanish forward offers hope: not a complete replacement for Morant’s wizardry, but a new piece in the fabric, keeping the Grizzlies competitive until their leader returns. For the Grizzlies to create new life offensively, Iisalo must turn Aldama from a complementary piece into a dynamic dream killer; an initiator, mismatch hunter and creator whose presence forces defenses into uncomfortable adjustments.

That will be impossible for the new coach if Aldama sticks to the old nonchalant method. Memphis and Ja Morant need someone with a killer instinct to replace Desmond Bain.

The Grizzlies are getting defensive

Aldama’s offensive potential grabs the headlines, but his defensive growth will determine whether he becomes a long-term cornerstone or remains a matchup-dependent rotational piece. His length allows him to guard multiple positions, but smaller wings can beat him quickly, and shifty drivers can take advantage of his poise when closing. His block and steal numbers reflect good instincts, but consistency in positional awareness, communication and vertical discipline is what turns flashes into the confidence of the coaching staff.

It is essential to box with more power and use your body to get space. Memphis has been vulnerable on second-chance points, and Aldama’s combination of length and mobility should make him more impactful on the defensive glass. The improvement in lateral quickness will give Iisal the freedom to deploy him on more credible wings, unlocking bigger lineups without sacrificing perimeter mobility. If Aldama becomes a defender who can reliably switch and recover, the Grizzlies’ entire defensive scheme tightens up.