Veteran guard Derrick Rose was blunt when he recently spoke to Memphis Grizzlies teammate Ja Morant.
"I'm not here to babysit you. I'm not here to follow you around. I'm not here to cheerlead," he told reporters at the Grizzlies' media day when recounting the conversation. "... I'm here to push you."
HoopsHype @hoopshypeDerrick Rose: "I'm not here to babysit, micromanage or anything. I'm not here to be a plant, a plant in the locker room, any of that. I'm here to help guys win." <a href="">
Morant will miss the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season while serving a suspension. The punishment came after the two-time All-Star appeared to flash a handgun in a video uploaded to social media. It was the second time he seemed to do so in a matter of months, the first of which drew an eight-game suspension.
Morant issued a statement in June apologizing to the Grizzlies and his fans. He said he intended to "work on my own mental health and decision making."
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespnJa Morant statement: <a href="">
Morant's missteps for some symbolized what was perhaps a larger issue for Memphis last year. The identity and culture that helped propel the Grizzlies' rapid rise came undone between seeing their best player get suspended and losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
In a survey conducted by The Athletic's Sam Amick and Josh Robbins in April, one player called Memphis "frontrunners" who "talk when they're winning" and "don't say s--t when they're losing."
By letting Dillon Brooks leave as a free agent and acquiring Marcus Smart, it looked like the front office wanted to change the atmosphere in the locker room a bit.
Smart was a vocal leader for the Boston Celtics, one who held his teammates accountable. During his press conference on media day, he used the exact same tone as Rose regarding his approach to his new team.
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DMMarcus Smart: "We are not here to babysit anybody. We are here to push each other and make us great. <br><br>"I can for (Ja Morant) as a human and a teammate. I'll tell you one thing, if he's not succeeding, we are not succeeding as a team."
As the new year opens, Memphis will be counting on Smart and Rose to help fill the void in the backcourt that's created by Morant's suspension.
Even if their playing time shrinks a bit when Morant returns, the pair will continue to occupy vital roles within the team through their leadership on and off the court.
