The on-court struggles continue for the Memphis Grizzlies in the absence of their talisman Ja Morant. The sustained misery frustrated the franchise’s sideline reporter, KJ Wright, as she recently expressed her displeasure. It led to Morant making a bold claim as he promised a bounce back for the franchise upon returning to the floor.
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The scenario circled the team’s latest 112-118 home defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The evident shortcomings of the roster reminded Wright of Morant’s influence on the organization. Consequently, she voiced her feelings on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “You guys…I really miss watching Ja Morant play basketball”.
You guys…. I really miss watching Ja Morant play basketball
— KJ (@kelwright) March 17, 2024
The buzz surrounding the post soon caught the attention of the Grizzlies guard. In response, the 24-year-old openly backed the franchise to make a comeback in the upcoming campaign, declaring, “Trust me this time missed will be worth it”.
trust me this time missed will be worth it
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) March 17, 2024
This display of confidence has injected hope into the hearts of the supporters. After all, the organization has fallen heavily after a series of overperformance in the 2021/22 season. Interestingly, Morant’s activities indirectly catalyzed it, putting more pressure on the 2x All-Star.
The initial struggles began after the gun controversies surrounding the South Carolina-born last year. At first, it resulted in him missing out on eight games before a repeat of his action paved the way for a 25-game suspension. Hence, much was expected upon his comeback to the court on 19th December 2023.
Morant exceeded expectations on that occasion by leading the team to four consecutive victories. However, the franchise faced yet another setback early into January this year. The talisman suffered from a subluxation of his right shoulder, forcing him to undergo surgery. Subsequently, he got sidelined for the rest of the campaign shifting the pressure on the rest of the roster.
The @memgrizz announced the following medical update: pic.twitter.com/Cr7xKj1Wm4
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) January 9, 2024
Amidst the ongoing struggles, the likelihood of changing the fortune through multiple trades is quite slim. Hence, the journey ahead remains an uphill one for the Grizzlies as they stay dependent on draft picks. The fans have already started looking forward to the upcoming season as Morant remains on track for another NBA return.