NBA media day is officially one week away for the Memphis Grizzlies as the regular season begins in one month. The team is focused on producing the best team they can this season, but they have a decision awaiting their star player's contract.
Ja Morant signed the designated rookie contract extension following the 2022 season that will keep him under contract with the Grizzlies through the 2027-28 season. Entering the offseason this summer, Morant was eligible to be extended two more years at $128.4 million to keep him under the contract through the 2029-30 season.
Due to the length of his current contract, the Grizzlies aren't expected to negotiate an extension with Morant until next season. However, his circumstances will have to change for that fruition to become a reality.
Morant must prove he can stay healthy and be impactful
The Grizzlies won a franchise-tying record 56 games and made a second-round appearance in the NBA playoffs during the 2021-22 season. That was also Ja Morant's best season as a pro, as he made his first NBA All-Star appearance and finished seventh in the NBA's MVP voting.
Entering his fourth season in the NBA, going into that next season, made it a no-brainer for the Grizzlies to offer him the max five-year, $197 million for the impending superstar point guard. However, the three seasons that have followed have only included him playing 120 out of a possible 246 games due to injuries and suspensions.
The team believes he can return to the player that many thought would be the face of the NBA following the 2021-22 season, as evidenced by their offseason moves. The Grizzlies' current roster aligns with Morant's skill set and sets the stage for him to become the leader they envisioned him as after his last extension.
He is now three years older and wiser, so the hope is that he can better protect his body to remain on the court for a team that will need him more than ever to compete. While he is extension-eligible, the team is wise to await how he overcomes his struggles to remain on the court over the last three seasons.
Although he ended last season off the court due to injury, he played his best stretch of basketball to end the season with 18 straight games of scoring 20-plus points. The Grizzlies and Morant hope that momentum can carry over into the next regular season.