The Memphis Grizzlies have had to deal with a lot of problems related to Ja Morant. A lot of them have been off-court issues. He was suspended for 25 games after his gun incident. He has been suspended two other times since then, as well.
Injuries have also killed Morant’s chances of being an impact player for the Grizzlies. Right now, he is out of he lineup with a calf injury. Moraant has played in just 12 games this season due to injuries and a one-game suspension. Because of that, he has played poorly.
Morant has put up the worst numbers of his career when he has been on the court. Memphis might be looking to trade him, but there isn’t much of a market for him if a recent report from ESPN is to be believed.
GettyJa Morant runs down the court. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Executives Tear Into Grizzlies Guard Ja Morant
In an ESPN report from Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon, NBA executives did not seem thrilled with what they have seen from Morant.
“The combination of pain in the ass, injury prone, not that good anymore, and big contract is a bad one,” said an East executive, who added that he wouldn’t want Morant on his roster regardless of salary.”
A West executive didn’t seem too thrilled about what Morant brings to the table at this point, either.
“Has Ja already lost his pop?” a West scout asked. “When is the last time he put his chin above the rim?”
In the piece, Marks and MacMahon noted that executives around the league have started comparing Morant to Derrick Rose and John Wall, believing that the best years of Morant might be behind him. Morant is still just 26 years old.
Both Rose and Wall fell off a cliff at an early age, thanks to injuries. Neither of them was able to overcome knee injuries. Morant has been dealing with lingering injuries to his lower extremities, and it’s not something executives are sure he can come back from.
GettyJa Morant talks with his head coach. (Photo by Wes Hale/Getty Images)
The Trade Market for Ja Morant is Not Robust
If the Grizzlies do decide to move on from Morant, they might have trouble finding a new home for him. He sizable contract, off-court problems, and injuries make it hard for Memphis to recoup the kind of value that they believe he is worth. A West executive doesn’t believe his stock is high around the league.
“Ja has been going down, down, down,” one of the West GMs said. “I don’t know how much of that is due to motivation. You’ve got to be able to look under the hood. I’m just not sure about his health.”
Yet, Marks and MacMahon found some executives who believe that not all is lost with Morant.
“Another West executive added: “It’s a gamble, but I truly believe that Ja will be fine at his next stop. But [the Grizzlies are] going to have to move Ja. They don’t have a choice.”
Morant is still intriguing for a small sect of teams around the league.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NBA Executives Rip Grizzlies Star Ja Morant to Shreds appeared first on Heavy Sports.