Despite finishing as the second seed in the Western Conference last season, the Memphis Grizzlies had a forgettable 2022-23 NBA campaign due to all the off-the-court issues with superstar guard Ja Morant.
As a result of all the off-the-court drama, the Grizzlies fell apart when the NBA playoffs rolled around, as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers proved to be too much to handle in the first round of the postseason.
The Lakers made easy work of the Grizzlies in the first round and sent them home much earlier than anticipated.
Then Morant got in trouble again, resulting in the NBA suspending him for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season, which has some doubting whether he has a long-term future in the league despite his obvious talent.
Former NBA star Paul Pierce recently made an appearance on “KG Certified” with Kevin Garnett and talked about Morant and the pressure he’ll have to turn things around next season.
“I think he (Ja Morant) got the most to show and most to prove” – @paulpierce34
Ja was apart of the league’s plan. He has to fight his way back in it! Wit DRose, Marcus Smart as his OGs, he WILL. Watch 💯 pic.twitter.com/5Is70e1feT
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) August 22, 2023
Morant is looking more and more like his own worst enemy because when he’s on the basketball floor, there’s no denying his talent and that he’s among the elite guards in the league today.
However, his off-the-floor antics can quickly derail his career and make the Grizzlies sick and tired of dealing with all the baggage that comes with the superstar.
Pierce believes Morant must re-establish who he is next season in order to get back on track and prove to the Grizzlies that he won’t be a problem moving forward, as he’s dedicated to winning basketball games.
NEXT: Analyst Notes Eligible Return Date For Ja Morant
