NBA intel: Ja, Zion, Trae among five stars we're watching

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Even before Ja Morant's postgame comments last week that led to a one-game suspension, followed by the star guard passing on the chance to defuse tension between himself and the Memphis Grizzlies coaching staff, plenty of eyes were watching how their season would play out.

Last spring, after a shocking late-season coaching upheaval and a first-round sweep by the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman was blunt in his assessment.

"I don't think we can look back at this series and say 'Oh, we're close!' he said. "No, we're not."

Then came this summer, when Memphis sent Desmond Bane -- a pillar of the franchise alongside Morant and big…