The Memphis Grizzlies are on the verge of getting Ja Morant back, and the organization seems intent on saving the 23-year-old from himself.
Last week Morant made headlines when a video surfaced online of him brandishing a firearm following a night of partying. It ultimately generated a ton of backlash, prompting him to delete his social media accounts and take an extended break from his team.
Reports would later surface of club dancers complaining about Morant’s behavior and about how he was dealing with bigger demons than fans may have initially realized.
This week, the NBA announced that Morant would be suspended for eight games and then permitted to return to action.
Amid all that, Memphis has decided to take drastic measures to avoid problems going forward.
“There have even been travel measures taken to curtail nightlife habits this season, with the Grizzlies leaving more road cities (especially the glitzier ones, like Miami) immediately after the game instead of staying overnight,” Joe Vardon and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported.
“Additional accountability measures may follow.”
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins has also pledged to get Morant on a better path.
“We (will) sit down and talk to him and guide him through this process,” Jenkins said.
“That’s going to be our focal point, on and off the court. As I said in the beginning, support and accountability — that’s what we are focused on. Not just in these recent couple of weeks, but moving forward. Obviously, things are going to be different.”
Memphis has invested a lot in Morant. He is clearly one of the most talented players in the league and a franchise superstar-level talent.
But he also wouldn’t be the first player of his ilk to sabotage himself on the court through off-the-court transgressions.
Will Morant ultimately take this most recent incident as the warning sign that it is and clean up his act going forward? Time will tell.
