Ja Morant is entering his seventh season in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies and has achieved great highs and lows throughout. His low points, mostly his injuries the last two seasons, have been a talking point for the Grizzlies' success this season and his contract extension status with the team.
Most pundits believe the Grizzlies will forgo the October 20th deadline to extend Morant's current five-year, $197 million contract until next offseason. While his availability and play on the court are likely the top reasons for that thinking, the fact that he has three years remaining on his rookie-scale extension gives them time to make a decision.
Jaren Jackson Jr. just signed a five-year, $240 million contract this offseason to remain with the franchise, so extending Morant becomes the team's next priority. Although a decision can wait until the following offseason, NBA Broadcaster Stephanie Ready believes a change in representation could mean an extension is imminent in the coming weeks.
Ja Morant is utilizing a sports advisory firm
On the Grizz Beat Podcast for Grind City Media, a panel including Grind City Media Senior Editor Michael Wallace and the above-mentioned Stephanie Ready felt confident that Morant would get an extension signed before the deadline. Ready mentioned his decision to launch a sports advisory firm that is run by his family in September gave a clue that they feel confident in getting a deal completed.
Timing is everything, and his decision to utilize a sports advisory firm a little less than a month before the deadline to sign a contract extension with the team does make you think. There hasn't been much chatter about his extension because of the length of his current deal, but completing it would calm any noise that could rise during the season from outsiders.
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have both voiced their interests in keeping their partnership consistently throughout the years, and reiterated it throughout this summer despite outside noise. The Grizzlies know they need Morant to excel to give them the best chance to contend, and he loves the city and organization that has stood beside him during the lowest points of his career.
Getting a contract extension completed before this season would be great news for all parties, as it would reaffirm him as the franchise cornerstone. The business of the NBA can be tricky for a lot of players, but the Grizzlies' organization has done right by its players, and their current situation with Ja Morant appears to be headed in a positive direction that would satisfy both parties.