After a tough loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies and their star player Ja Morant faced tough questions about their future. In an article from The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/3067403/2022/05/01/where-do-ja-morant-and-the-grizzlies-go-from-here-after-playoff-wake-up-call/), it was noted that while bad luck played a role in some of the Grizzlies’ late-season struggles, there were also issues that could be corrected within the team’s control.
Despite these challenges, Ja Morant remained unfazed, according to a report from Sportskeeda (https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-i-ll-deal-ja-morant-unfazed-fine-west-comment-backfires-memphis-grizzlies-head-cancun). He didn’t care about past comments he had made, including one about being “fine in the West,” and was focused on moving forward.
However, after a tough loss to end the season, Morant reflected on what went wrong, according to an article from The Wenatchee World (https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/ap/sports/ja-morant-addresses-impact-of-off-court-issues-after-stunning-season-ending-loss/article_f31b265e-a461-5abe-a36b-0c830fe7e2d2.html). He acknowledged that there were off-court issues that impacted the team’s performance and suggested that they needed to work on improving communication and chemistry.
Despite these challenges, the question remains: does Memphis have the right core around Ja Morant to win it all? According to a piece from Sporting News (https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/grizzlies-eliminated-nba-playoffs-memphis-core-win-ja-morant/lcy28pdtd0dozsf9zfrn0fhh), while the Grizzlies fell short of their goal this season, they have a promising young core that includes Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. If they can continue to progress and develop, they could be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
In the meantime, Ja Morant has been warned to be careful after a hand injury, according to a report from Basketball Network (https://basketballnetwork.net/matt-barnes-issues-a-warning-to-ja-morant-after-game-4-vs-lakers-the-ground-is-undefeated/). Matt Barnes cautioned Morant that “the ground is undefeated” after he continued to attack the basket despite the injury.
Despite facing elimination, the Grizzlies fought back and forced a Game 6 against the Lakers, led by a standout performance from Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, according to an article from USA Today (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/playoffs/2023/04/29/nba-playoffs-memphis-grizzlies-los-angeles-lakers-game-6/7511092001/).
As the Grizzlies and Ja Morant look to the future, there are challenges to be overcome and improvements to be made. But with a talented young core and a determined leader in Morant, there’s reason for optimism in Memphis.
