Ja Morant had a difficult 2023-24 campaign. Injuries and suspension limited him to only nine games, a frustrating ordeal for the guard and the Grizzlies. He’s primed to return to form in the upcoming season, but Bill Simmons believes he needs to clean up his act or risk throwing away his future.
Advertisement
On the Bill Simmons Podcast, the veteran analyst claimed that he’s excited about Morant’s return but is worried he’d be unable to steer clear of controversies. He opined that his off-the-field issues could prevent him from hitting the heights he was touted to and his career would become a case of ‘What if.’ Simmons said,
“He might just have a tumultuous career and we’ll look back and we’ll say, ’Oh man, you know who was awesome? Ja Morant’ and his legacy will be Twitter videos where it’s like, Ja Morant was a problem’ and it’s him just dunking on people.”
He added that Morant has the talent to be among the best guards in the NBA and claimed that if he focuses, he could return to the form that made him one of the most revered young players. Simmons said,
“Or all that s**t that has happened has put him in a frame of mind, where he is like, you know what, this Anthony Edwards thing, he’s kind of took my spot, I’m coming back hard, my s**t’s together, I got new people around me and they’re going to be awesome.”
The analyst backed his claim by highlighting that the Grizzlies won 56 games with Morant leading the way in the 2021-22 season. He also pointed to the guard’s terrific playoff numbers as proof of his ability to thrive in pressure situations. He has tallied 27.3 points, 8.6 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game in 19 playoff games in his career.
Morant took the league by storm with his exceptional performance. However, his stock has taken a massive hit over the past two seasons due to his unruly off-the-field behavior.
Ja Morant and his gun-flashing issues
In March 2023, the NBA suspended Morant for eight games after he was seen waving a gun in a Colorado strip club on his Instagram Live. After he returned, he didn’t look as sharp as he had the entire year and the Grizzlies lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Lakers.
In the offseason, he was seen brandishing a gun again on another Instagram Live and the league suspended him for 25 games. In his first game after his return from suspension, he reminded the league of his talent. He scored 34 points and hit the game-winner against the Pelicans and helped the Grizzlies end their five-game losing streak.
Never forget Ja Morant’s 9:01 Game Winner in New Orleans in first game back from suspension. pic.twitter.com/rN22uDiX0j
— Foi (@Foixkics) July 23, 2024
Memphis, who started the year 6-19, was reenergized after the guard’s return and won six of the nine games he played in. However, tragedy struck as Morant suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder during a practice session and had to undergo surgery, ending his season.
The 25-year-old has endured two tumultuous years, primarily due to his behavior. It remains to be seen whether he has wised up and steered clear of his self-destructive ways.
