The situation with Ja Morant is getting worse with every game he plays for the Memphis Grizzlies. Going into his seventh season with the franchise, Morant is not feeling at peace with the coaching staff or the way things are going.
He called out the coaching staff after the Lakers’ loss. The 26-year-old point guard was also suspended for a game for “conduct detrimental to the team.” So, things are clearly not going well for the Grizzlies’ star.
Amid the mess, basketball analysts and former players have started finding the right suitor for the young, energetic superstar who has looked like a shell of himself at the beginning of this season.
Morant has averaged 20.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists, shooting 14% from the three-point line and 38.3% from the field. His career shooting average is 31.1% from beyond the arc and 46.7% from the field. Clearly, his shooting efficiency is nowhere close to his career averages.
Former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony named two franchises that fit Morant’s needs perfectly. Morant needs a path right now, and preferably a guide as well. Anthony talked about the volatile situation during the ‘7 PM in Brooklyn’ podcast.
“He needs a culture. He created the culture in Memphis, right?… He needs to go somewhere that’s already centered around culture, hard work, and discipline. I’m not mad at him in Miami. Pat’s gonna let you be you. But you also gotta be professional,” the former Denver Nuggets star said.
Miami Heat President Pat Riley has made the most of volatile situations in the past. Whether it was Shaquille O’Neal heading there from the Lakers or LeBron James announcing the famous decision. The Heat can take talented players who are no longer fitting on their teams and make something of it.
“Milwaukee? You have somebody else there who can hold you accountable, and Giannis. Ja works, but now, when you get around somebody else who has a work ethic like that? It only inspires you, it only motivates you to wanna be at that level with them,” Anthony added.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is also going through a difficult time with the only franchise he’s ever been a part of. That is why Morant joining them would be ideal.
He can create his own shot and not depend on Antetokounmpo’s breakdown of the defense. Morant can be for Milwaukee what they wanted Damian Lillard to be. An explosive scorer who the opposing defenses are terrified of.
“He needs help in terms of a community within the team. This is where vets come in. There are no vets. People who can go, ‘I got you. I’m gonna tell what the f*** is going on, but I got you too,’ when he was standing on the sideline, you’d go, ‘Ay, Come on man, get in the f*****g huddle, come on, let’s go, we’ll deal with that s*** later’. That’s the kind of s*** he needs,” Anthony said.
Apparently, former head coach Taylor Jenkins’ exit was taken very roughly by the locker room, especially Morant. He was comfortable with Jenkins and had formed a rapport that he appreciated.
But the Grizzlies, without informing him or taking his opinion, chose to fire Jenkins and promote assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo. The new head coach and the old superstar have not seen eye-to-eye, and it has become a public display of discontent.
After coming back from the suspension, Morant has reportedly stopped talking to the coach and has said that he’s lost his joy of the game.
During the loss against the Houston Rockets, his father was talking trash with Kevin Durant and got a snarky response from Easy Money Sniper.
“Your son doesn’t wanna be here, we know it’s your last weekend. Enjoy your time,” Durant said.
At his young age, he should ideally not be standing at this position. But that’s the reality now, and Morant will need to start accepting that and planning his move instead of sulking and trying to fix such a volatile situation. It looks like the beginning of the end.
