4 Biggest Consequences Ja Morant Suspension has on the Memphis Grizzlies
By King Jemison
4) Morant’s last straw
On the court, Ja performed well in 2022-23. He averaged 26.2 points per game along with 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds – both career highs. Off the court, he had a horrible season. He faced controversy after controversy, from allegedly beating up a teenager in July 2022 to pointing a laser at the Pacers team bus in January 2023 to flashing a gun on Instagram Live while at a Denver nightclub in March to ultimately repeating that same mistake in May.
In a statement released today, Morant said, “I hope you’ll give me the chance to prove to you over time I’m a better man than what I’ve been showing you.”
Ja Morant statement: pic.twitter.com/KJCxTVEIRj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2023
The Grizzlies certainly will give him that chance, as they should. But this will now be essentially 35 games Morant has missed over two seasons due to off-court behavior (he sat out one game during the Pacers investigation in February and missed one extra game after his suspension ended in March). Injuries are one thing, but the face of your franchise cannot be missing huge chunks of the season for things within his control.
The Grizzlies are wedded to Morant for at least the next five years thanks to his $194 million contract. During that stretch, they could be one of the best teams in the NBA. They could win the first NBA Championship in Memphis franchise history. But more than any player development or roster moves, the Grizzlies franchise trajectory depends on Morant and whether he truly learns from his mistakes this time.
If he does prove to be the better man he promised in his statement, Ja Morant could become one of the most legendary comeback tales in sports history. He could be living evidence of something we all hope to be true: that we are not defined by our worst mistakes.
This 25-game suspension could derail the Grizzlies season. But to continue the train metaphor, it could also be the moment that truly gets Morant on track. How well his teammates perform without him and how well he uses this time to make the necessary changes in his life will determine the true consequences of Morant’s suspension.