Memphis Blues: What To Do with Ja Morant

The Troubled Star Makes Headlines

What on earth is going on with Ja Morant? Our NBA picks didn’t predict this happening, and it’s sad to see.

The Memphis Grizzlies star is a unique talent on the court, but his obsession with being a “gangster” is taking its toll.

It’s a car crash waiting to happen, so what are the Grizzlies going to do with their generational talent?

Ja Making Us Crazy

Morant has to be one of the most frustrating players in the NBA. He has all the talent in the world, but he doesn’t seem to learn his lesson.

After the first time he brandished a gun in an Instagram live video, you’d think he would be on his best behavior. However, he was back at it for a second time, and he’s running out of chances.

Grizzlies star Ja Morant was allegedly seen holding a gun on an IG Live.pic.twitter.com/bqvwbwgd9m

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 14, 2023

The Grizzlies are in a tricky position. While you have LeBron James pretending to read books, at least he’s a positive role model. Then, you have Morant, who is seemingly living the life of a wannabe gangster.

Our NBA expert picks didn’t see this coming. He seemed focused on his career, but with money and fame comes distractions.

Police have recently conducted a welfare check on Morant after concerning tweets were posted and then deleted.

“Love ya ma [blue heart emoji],” “Love ya pops [blue heart emoji]” and “You da greatest baby girl [blue heart emoji] love ya.”’ reported ESPN.

He then followed those with a post that simply said, “Bye.”

It’s never good to see that. He clearly has issues, and being in the public eye won’t help his cause. However, he brought this attention upon himself.

Grizzlies Could Stick By Him

If there was a market on whether the Grizzlies cut Morant, the sportsbook would have odds of around +500.

Morant isn’t a player most teams want to get rid of, despite what he’s doing off the court. He’s too explosive on the court to let go for a couple of misdemeanors.

Sure, showing off his gun is stupid and shows his mental immaturity, but players who have committed acts of violence and dabbled in drugs haven’t been publically hounded as much as Morant.

It comes with the territory of being an incredible player, and we hope the Grizzlies stick with him, for both their sake.

If the Grizzlies can educate him (not that it’s their responsibility to), they could form a lifelong bond, which could have NBA title ramifications.

They drafted him knowing he wasn’t in the same mold as guys like James, but that’s not to say he can’t be a positive role model.

If we had NBA predictions for the upcoming season, we expect to see Morant playing for the Grizzlies. He has the off-season to work on his issues, and he just needs to spend less time with his friends and more time in the gym.

Last Chance?

It could be a case of three strikes and you’re out for Morant.

After his first transgression, it appeared as though his apology was written using AI, which was disappointing to see, and it shows where his mind is.

If Morant appears in any more videos with his gun, or doing something else that could tarnish the image of the Grizzlies and the NBA, he could be given a lengthy ban. He already could be looking at another suspension.

Online gambling markets don’t know what to do with the Grizzlies odds of winning the 2023-24 NBA Championship, and it’s solely because of Morant.

If he’s fit and mentally prepared to put in the work, they would be one of the sport betting favorites to win. However, he can’t be all talk and no action.

If Morant wants a career playing professional basketball, he needs to forgo his ambitions of living the lifestyle he’s desperately seeking.