Ja Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of this season, the punishment for the second time he was seen with a gun on social media during last season.
The question that matters most in Memphis: What happens going forward? Can Morant be the superstar leader the Grizzlies need and help this team evolve into a title contender? Is he mature enough to take on that role?
A new report at ESPN looks in the rearview mirror and asks: Could the Grizzlies have done more in the past 18 months to stop Morant from getting to this point? Morant entered the league with no red flags, but by the time he was an All-Star those started to pop up, according to the report.
Team sources said there were concerns about how frequently Morant, underage and often accompanied by his father, would go out drinking, and at some of Memphis’ seedier establishments and strip clubs, including on nights before games.
“There was no discipline,” a Grizzlies source said. “They felt like they could do anything they wanted. In my opinion, the enabling was out of control. Just constant. Definitely s*** was swept under the rug.”
“He went from being a nice guy to every time you look up, the kid was always into it with somebody,” said one of the Memphis business owners whose establishments Morant had visited frequently. “A staff member, security, always wanting it his way. It’s just so much. I can’t say all of it. It just went bad, bro -- like the way he carried himself. First, he told me he was coming with his best friend. The next thing, he started coming with an entourage. The next thing, he’s got a platinum grill in his mouth. The next thing, he’s into it with parking lot security because they won’t let him park somewhere.”
The report throws shade at several people, starting with Tee Morant, Ja Morant’s father (the duo is often partying together). Morant responded on an Instagram story.
"keep LIVIN the dream OG. this hoopin shii started wit you, i just continued it"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 18, 2023
Grizzlies star Ja Morant's IG story in regard to an ESPN article stating that his father Tee is to blame for his behavior 😳 pic.twitter.com/WjMwAI5bjk
ESPN’s story also questions if the Grizzlies organization should have done more.
Teams walk a fine line with their superstars, especially smaller market teams. The front office needs to keep the player happy so they don’t bolt, but also there are times when a harsh truth needs to be told. In the case of Morant, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman and coach Taylor Jenkins sat down with Morant in a hotel room and essentially had a come-to-Jesus meeting expressing their concerns about his “spiraling” behavior and its impact on the team. A “you are f****** up” meeting. Their concerns were greeted with “disinterest — then apathy.”
A couple weeks later came Morant’s first suspension for waiving a gun around on social media, this from a club outside Denver the night after a game.
The Grizzlies’ reaction to the ESPN story was the right one: They are trying to look forward.
Taylor Jenkins addressed ESPN’s story on Ja Morant: “I read the article, and I’m not going to comment on anonymous sources. I’m not really going to comment on the past. I’m really just focused on the present and the strides he is making, positive strides.” https://t.co/STa9vtjiq4
— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) October 18, 2023
Xavier Tillman on the ESPN Morant report:
— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) October 18, 2023
“It’s really on the annoying side. Everybody knows about the situation, and we are all working to get past it. The fact that we are brining it up and nothing else is going on is kind of like, ‘What are we doing?’”https://t.co/STa9vtjiq4
Memphis made moves to address its locker room issues by bringing in Marcus Smart and Derrick Rose — two respected veterans who will not put up with unfocused and undisciplined players.
The Grizzlies are a mystery box of a team this season, one with the talent to contend — or at least be on the fringe of contention — but with a lot of questions. The biggest one is Morant, if this is going to work he has to be the team’s No. 1 option, their All-NBA focal point of the offense, and his focus has to be on bringing it every night. When he returns to the court in December, what Morant will we see? He’ll say all the right things, but actions speak louder than words.
Morant, like the Grizzlies, needs to be looking forward.
