Ja Morant, through the first three years of his career, was on a rapid ascent towards superstardom. His emergence as one of the best point guards in the NBA has lifted the Memphis Grizzlies to serious playoff contention. But in Year 4, Morant has been involved in a slew of troubling off-court incidents, the most worrying of which was his involvement with firearms. As a result, Morant's future as a star and perhaps as a face of the league is now in serious doubt.
In fact, commissioner Adam Silver's latest comments on the Morant saga only fanned the flame of speculation regarding what the potential repercussions of the Grizzlies star's actions might be. Some worry that a lengthy punishment may be coming.
It's unclear at the moment if any extreme measures are necessary to prevent Ja Morant from throwing away his future as an NBA star. Regardless, notorious pundit Kendrick Perkins believes that a change of scenery may be what's necessary for the Grizzlies star to get his act together.
“I'm not dishing it out there for a hot take. I'm actually being real and being serious right now. […] I think Ja Morant, it might be best for him to actually get out of Memphis and go to a different organization for his own well-being,” Perkins said in an appearance on ESPN's First Take. “I actually think it would be better for him [to go to] another city, on another team, having another change of scenery where he can actually lock in on the game of and his family.”
"I think Ja Morant, it might be best for him to actually get out of Memphis and go to a different organization for his own well-being… where he can actually lock in on the game of and his family."
— @KendrickPerkinspic.twitter.com/ld5mgh3Vvb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 2, 2023
Kendrick Perkins justified his latest take on the Ja Morant situation by highlighting the African-American culture in Memphis, and how it's influencing the way Morant carries himself. Perhaps that rings true, although it's certainly hard to ascribe Morant's actions to that particular subculture instead of highlighting the value systems of those closest to the Grizzlies star.
Whatever the case may be, the overwhelming sentiment around league circles is that hopefully Morant figures it out, whether in Memphis or elsewhere, given the talent he possesses. At the ripe young age of 23, Morant has a bright future ahead of him, as long as he keeps out of trouble.
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