Ja Morant’s dissatisfaction with the Grizzlies and coach Tuomas Iisalo is well known; the team suspended its star one game last season for behavior harmful to the team following a locker-room altercation with Iisalo. The coach’s brief shift patterns in-game and forthright criticism of performers irritated Morant.
According to ESPN reporters Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright, Morant told others that he no longer wanted to play for the Grizzlies.
According to sources, in the aftermath, Morant informed fellow NBA players and some of his previous coaches that he was no longer playing for Memphis.
He is expected to get his wish this offseason.
The Grizzlies explored a Morant deal before the February deadline, but nothing appealed to Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman since the offers were mediocre. Following his trade of Desmond Bane to Orlando the previous summer, he traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. The Grizzlies are in a rebuild, and Morant, a fan favorite in Memphis, is nearly certainly going to be traded.
However, ESPN reports that Morant will not bring back the same amount of draft choices as Jackson and Bane did to Memphis.
Several officials from other clubs surveyed by ESPN think the Grizzlies would have better luck finding a home for Morant this summer, but they caution that Memphis should not anticipate to earn much value in return.
A few factors prevent clubs from committing fully on Morant. One reason is that he is due $87. 1 million guaranteed over the next two seasons, and in an NBA where teams are trying to avoid tax aprons, that is a significant sum to commit for anything less than an All-Star player. Second, Morant has a history of injuries, having missed 65 games since his rookie season and no more than 50 in each of the previous three. Finally, Morant’s ball-dominant approach — he needs to have the ball in his hands and be the primary shot creator to be at his best — is not a natural match on many lineups.
However, some clubs will be pursuing the larger names this summer, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and possibly Kawhi Leonard, but they will strike out, leaving Morant as an option. The ESPN story mentions the revamped Sacramento Kings, who approached the Grizzlies before the deadline but fell short of a deal.
Wherever it is, expect Morant to wear a new uniform next season. He wants to leave the Grizzlies, and they want to move on from him.
