The Ja Morant saga goes way beyond himself and even beyond the Memphis Grizzlies.
We’re talking about one of the younger and more popular faces in the NBA right now, which is why his team and the league have been so delicate about this matter.
Morant could set a dangerous precedent, and this situation could be a PR disaster for the NBA, so they need to handle it carefully.
However, that could also cost the young guard millions of dollars.
According to his contract, Morant could miss over $30 million if he fails to make an All-NBA team this season, all due to the NBA’s contract structure for rookie players who are eligible for max contract extensions.
Ja Morant could miss out on $30M if he fails to make an All-NBA team this season 🤯
(Via @ShamsCharania ) pic.twitter.com/mAJzs05QMp
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) March 14, 2023
Those deals can max out depending on whether the player has achieved several incentives, namely All-NBA teams.
Morant was right on track to make one of the league’s All-NBA squads this season, averaging 27.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.6 three-pointers per game on 46% from the floor.
But making ‘just’ 53 appearances this season could seriously hurt his case, not to mention the fact that he’s been away from the team for some questionable off-court behavior, which most voters won’t want to reward.
Morant is reportedly headed to Florida to get some counseling and get his career and life back on track, and while money isn’t the most important issue right now, we’re still talking about $30 million.
All we can now hope is that he grows from this experience, as he’s just too good to throw everything away over this.
NEXT: NBA Insider Speculates On Ja Morant's Future
