The uneasy truce between Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, long in place because of his capacity to be both dominant and destructive, has frayed again. His one-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” resulted from a listless showing against the Lakers and a pregnant post-mortem in which he gave cryptic statements. “Go ask the coaching staff,” he said, his voice seeping in sarcasm and frustration. “According to them, probably don’t play me.”
The words were clipped but revealing. In another presser, Morant admitted he has “lost his joy” playing for the Grizzlies. For a two-time All-Star whose entire identity is premised on spring, surge, and spectacle, jouissance is both his fuel and his brand. Everything becomes mechanical in its absence. Meanwhile, the blue and gray are compelled to address a structural concern. How is their culture? Where is their control? What is their identity? Once, they basked in the defiant play of their supposed foundational piece. Now, they scramble to set his limits for good.
To be sure, the tension has been around a while. Drafted in 2019 to lead a young roster toward relevance, Morant delivered on his promise much faster than projected. His ascent made the Grizzlies matter again. Unfortunately, their brush with success likewise compressed their timeline. And when juxtaposed with their outsized expectations, his suspensions, injuries, and off-court distractions could not but be viewed as pain points. His latest clash with the coaching staff gives them the impetus to assess the discontent between the type of on-court leadership they have, if at all, and the kind they need.
Naturally, there has been speculation on potential destinations for Morant; the Kings, Suns, Timberwolves, and Rockets are seen as possibilities. The irony is inescapable: a seemingly untouchable personality being subjected to hypotheticals, with his contract and reputation coloring the lines. In the National Basketball Association, just about anybody can be moved. The question is the manner in which the Grizzlies see a bright future. Will they be better off with him? Without him? And for how long?
At this point, one thing is clear. The Grizzlies and Morant have to address the dissonance with finality. They can commit to their partnership or blow it up. Anything in between keeps them restless and searching for a rhythm they have already lost.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
