He has been in controversy and battled injuries through his first five NBA seasons; however, no one can deny the talent on the court that is Ja Morant with a basketball.
The two-time All-Star is the face of a tough-minded team in the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Memphis is fifth in the Western Conference (44-30) as it is trying to stay out of the NBA’s Play-In Tournament.
Morant is averaging 20-plus points per game for a fourth straight season, collecting 22.3 points per matchup on 44.7 percent shooting from the field this year. He nearly had a triple-double last week with 22 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, despite the Grizzlies dropping a game to the Los Angeles Lakers. Morant is one of the bright young faces to take over the league, but is his time in Memphis coming to an end. Taylor Jenkins coached the Grizzlies to two division titles in 2022 and 2023 and had Memphis heading to the NBA playoffs this season. However, the front office fired him last week after six years with the team.
Morant said he was taking a nap on the couch when he got the news of the firing.
Kendrick Perkins, an NBA commentator for ESPN, believes Morant won’t be in Memphis for much longer.
.@KendrickPerkins weighs in on Ja Morant’s future with the Grizzlies ????
“At this point, Ja Morant is auditioning.” pic.twitter.com/d9mLOGHPRT
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 31, 2025
“At this point, Ja Morant is auditioning,” Perkins said on ESPN’s Get Up. “If you look at the firing of Taylor Jenkins, this came from the front office because they could not see eye to eye. Taylor Jenkins wanted to run his offense, and so the front office hired his coaching staff. Memphis is one of the best offensive teams in the league, but they run the least amount of pick ‘n’ rolls in the league. Ja Morant thrives better when he has the ball in his hands. This firing shows me, ‘we don’t care about what you think Ja.'”
Morant is eligible for a contract extension this summer that could $125 million for two years. Luka Doncic was an incredible player for the Dallas Mavericks, but the team still moved off him in a trade.
If the Grizzlies are bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs, we could see the organization move off Morant.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
