NBA GM Gives Ja Morant a Harsh Reality Check Following Grizzlies’ Coaching Change
After the Memphis Grizzlies made the surprising decision to part ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins, an anonymous NBA general manager shared their candid thoughts on Ja Morant.
Despite Morant’s impressive statistics since joining the NBA in 2019, he has yet to achieve much postseason success.
Under Morant’s leadership, the Grizzlies have won only one playoff series.
“Does he bring in fans? Yes,” a rival GM told ESPN. “Is he a top-25 player when healthy? Yes. But can he lead a team to multiple playoff series wins? No. I’m not sure he could even win one in most years. And he’s always injured.”
Morant is regarded as one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, known for his scoring and playmaking ability, which is why the Grizzlies offered him a five-year, $197 million extension in 2022.
However, Morant’s past two seasons have been challenging. He was suspended for displaying a gun on Instagram Live in 2023 and had season-ending shoulder surgery the following year.
Due to his suspension and injury, Morant only played nine games last season, as the Grizzlies finished with a 27-55 record.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Grizzlies fired Jenkins with the goal of better optimizing Morant’s game. Assistant coach Noah LaRoche, who pushed for a shift away from ball screens, which Morant preferred, was also let go when Jenkins was dismissed.
This season, Morant has played in 45 games, averaging 22.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists. The Grizzlies are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.
It will be intriguing to see how far Morant can take Memphis in the 2025 playoffs now that Jenkins and LaRoche are no longer with the team.
