NBA GM doesn’t think Grizzlies can win with Ja Morant: ‘He is always hurt’

One NBA general manager doesn’t think the Memphis Grizzlies can win consistently with Ja Morant. 

“Does he sell tickets? Yes,” the rival GM told ESPN. “Is he a top-25 player when healthy? Yes. Can he win multiple series as the best player? No. Not sure most years you can win even one. Plus he is always hurt.”

Morant was the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Grizzlies have won one playoff series in the Morant era. 

According to NBA insider Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins to optimize Morant. Assistant Noah LaRoche was the driving force behind the Grizzlies going away from ball screens, the scheme Morant liked.

Memphis fired LaRoche.

“This decision to do it now and to move on from LaRoche and to lean back into all the pick and roll stuff, this was a decision that was about optimizing Ja Morant,” MacMahon said on his podcast. “That was a primary motivator for this decision.”

Morant has appeared in 45 games this season. He’s averaging 22.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists.

According to NBA insiders Sam Amick, Fred Katz and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Morant has hated the Grizzlies’ new offense this season. 

“Morant played his entire career for Jenkins and remained supportive of the coach up to the end, a league source said,” Amick, Katz and Vardon wrote. “Morant did not, however, like the new offense. He has played in just 43 games this season, missing this most recent stretch because of a hamstring injury while also dealing with right shoulder soreness. But when he’s been on the court, according to a league source, Morant has complained about the new scheme, which takes the ball out of his hands and removes the screens he likes to use as a ball handler to make plays.”

Morant and the Grizzlies are in fifth place in the West.