Well, ladies and gentlemen, the time has come. Ja Morant has been officially put on the trading block by the Memphis Grizzlies. After six and a half seasons, the former All-Star holds the single-game scoring record with the franchise at 52 points. His tenure with the Grizzlies over the past few seasons has been checkered to say the least.
However, incidents of irresponsibly brandishing firearms in public (and while in transit) while recording have yielded consequences. They came by way of several suspensions over the past three seasons. This was coupled by a litany of injuries that really affected team continuity. So, with all of this having been documented, what value as a player does Morant have? Can he help?
A rookie full of potential
At one time, Morant was the most exciting player in the NBA. From his speed and athleticism to the bevy of poster dunks in his arsenal, he had it all. But as we’ve seen with players who thrive solely on athleticism, they take a lot of hits. They fall to the ground often. That type of physicality adds up.
In the pro-wrestling world, there’s a colloquialism that’s used called a “bump card.” You figuratively punch a hole in this card every time you fall. The bigger the fall, the bigger the hole. At some point, the bump card fills up. Morant’s bump card has been punched probably more than he’d like to admit, but we all see it.
His injuries have also caught up to him a bit. And because he hasn’t grown the finesse of his game much, he can’t rely on a jump shot to help give him more options on the basketball court. It may seem like I’m dumping on him, but I promise that I’m not.
Morant is currently scoring his second-lowest points per game since his second season at age 19. A lot of that is because he isn’t driving to the rim as much, he is being fouled less, and is scoring fewer points at the line. His shooting percentages are currently the lowest of his career, sitting at 40% on overall field goals and 20.8% on threes. This is how being in and out of the lineup so often can negatively affect your production.
Reality check
I don’t believe that all hope is lost. The key here is that Morant needs to look within himself and improve his game. You can improve a jump shot. His three might never be his bread and butter, but certainly, we can do better than a 20% average. He still can handle the basketball with the best of them. So, if he decides to be more of a creator as he finds a few new ways to score, he can still potentially command max player money.
That’s what he can do for a new club. What he can’t do is continue to be unavailable for his team in scenarios that he can avoid. Morant is also going to have to own that the ways he has comported himself in the past have a cost to his trade value. He can no longer afford to be immature.
Wherever Morant lands will be his second shot at greatness. It’s a second shot at a Hall of Fame-level career. If he understands the opportunity that is within his grasp, we’re looking at one hell of a redemption story. The question is: does he even realize it?
