Ja Morant Unhappy with Grizzlies Coaching Staff; Appears to Have Quit on His Team Tonight; *UPDATE*: Ja Suspended 1 Game

[jscott]

I will trade anything on the Wolves (you only get 1 of McDaniels or Randle) for Ja. Interdivision mega trades are unheard of though so zero shot this would ever happen

I’d much rather keep at least McDaniels (and probably both) than add a head case like Ja to the Wolves.

[firedavidkahn]

I will trade anything on the Wolves (you only get 1 of McDaniels or Randle) for Ja. Interdivision mega trades are unheard of though so zero shot this would ever happen

I’d much rather keep at least McDaniels (and probably both) than add a head case like Ja to the Wolves.

I see your point but at the end of the day you need top end talent to win in the NBA. JA would significantly raise the ceiling (while simultaneously probably lowering the floor) of this team.

[jscott]

I will trade anything on the Wolves (you only get 1 of McDaniels or Randle) for Ja. Interdivision mega trades are unheard of though so zero shot this would ever happen

I’d much rather keep at least McDaniels (and probably both) than add a head case like Ja to the Wolves.

I see your point but at the end of the day you need top end talent to win in the NBA. JA would significantly raise the ceiling (while simultaneously probably lowering the floor) of this team.

He’d also significantly raise the chance of imploding the squad.

There’s not a world in which I’d include Jaden in a deal for Ja but maybe due to Randle’s age and having Naz - maybe I’d consider that but, if I’m Connelly, I’d need to talk to Ja ahead of time and get him to be honest with me.

But I don’t think he’s an elite player any longer - not if he quit on his team. Kinda shows where he’s at mentally. We don’t need that.

[hauntedcomputer]

This dude is such a joke, crazy people were trying to make him the face of the league.

Prime Video was trying real hard to make him a thing in the first half but nobody cared, especially Ja.

Watching this right now on League Pass and it's crazy how noticeable his pouting is. And then you compare him to a guy like Smart, who they could've kept instead.

Hilarious people in here still say he "has a chance to mature." This is his prime.

Pick the wrong franchise guy and lose a decade.

[Indomitable]

This is wild to me that you would trade for someone like Morant when the Bulls team is finally playing like a decent NBA team with upside. The risk just doesn't seem to be worth it. Mind you if this was the Bulls of previous years, I'd fully agree.

I have never seen this guy post. He is just representing his own point of view.

"He's not a terminally online reject like myself, I've never seen him frequent this niche message board as often as me so he's not a real fan"


You showed up 4x's in my notifications talking **** about me because of Ja. Stop with the personal attacks before I get both of us banned off this bitch, lame. Keep it basketball like everyone else. Talk basketball, talk why Ja isn't a fit in basketball terms. Tell me why you think Giddey is so much better a fit for this squad in basketball terms than Ja. Tell me why Ja's game wouldn't accentuate this squads personnel more than Giddey's. I'm not here to get into some pissing match with a Cubs fan that's been posting on here since 2001. I'm here to talk basketball period. If you want to take it somewhere else all I ask is we BOTH get banned for what happens next.

i
Excuse me for my initial reaction. That is not banned worthy but I will answer as an adult.

I come here to talk basketball after going to the games. I enjoy it. It is my favorite pastime.

Ja seems to be a emotional young man. If this was his only issue in recent times maybe. Instead he keeps having these problems. Hopefully he figures it out.

Ja comes across as a immature but almost 27 and refuses to take ownership for his faults. He is not the missing piece for a Championship for the Bulls. He can be for a veteran team.

Ja says he does not want to lead and we have 2 young players who are the true future of this franchise. They need guidance.

Ja has been going the other way in his career. He is struggling at being the leader.

He is not worth it for the Bulls. The odds are he will just create chaos. He is a superb talent and I hope he figures it out.


I am not under any delusion about the Bulls. I see a 45 win team at best but this is time to build a culture.

Ja needs to go somewhere with strong vets. He needs a vet he can talk to and hopefully figure it out. The Bulls are not that team. Honestly without Vuc we are the youngest team in the League.

I believe this is a season to grow for the Bulls.

[JB2]

This is probably contract related. Memphis does not want to give him his extension

Is he dumb enough to believe this is how you get it?

[Indomitable]

This is probably contract related. Memphis does not want to give him his extension

Is he dumb enough to believe this is how you get it?

LOL

I actually hope he figures it out.

[G R E Y]

I thought it was just me when I was watching the game. I can't blame Ja if the offensive scheme called for him to play like a role player rather than use his unique abilities in iso.

This is probably what Ja heard when coaches told him the O could use some more variety and passing and movement. You're right he's a unique ISO player. Electric when on. And you'd be right if coaching staff told him to be an ancillary after thought, wasting all that talent.

But given Ja's me-ness on and off the court, is the latter plausible? I think it's more likely coaching staff wants to use more of the talents of other players integrated into a more varied and deadly team game.

I even get Ja being put off by the message; it's an adjustment and a matter of pride when a team is moving from a Ja-centric to a more team oriented game. And we don't know how strongly or bluntly or in front of the whole team this was communicated.

If kid gloves are off in the messaging then it indicates to me coach has FO backing and perhaps it's a get on board or we pivot away from you situation. Either way, this is to the team's benefit.

But if Ja sits with the message, he can benefit, too. He has to show he can adjust, get teammates more involved, still get his but pick his spots, and grow his game so it's not so reliant on athleticism which is already facing injuries, he can rebuild his reputation and value.

Ja seems to take interactions he doesn't like as confrontations. Not everything is a **** fight. The passive aggressive **** on court followed by the repeated 'ask the coaches' in the post-game is an adversarial choice.

My sense with teams who have problematic stars is that they work to get talent around a star which short term makes for a better team. Long term it builds leverage for the team as it can then look to trade said star for assets that better fit with a current group.

Maybe the powers that be want to push him out and the only way he stays is if he can adjust. Even if Ja wants out it's to his benefit to at least put in some effort. It sounds like an FO that has had it with catering to and covering for a stubborn player whose juice isn't worth the squeeze.

No idea what JJJ is doing. He has his contract. Not sure I understand the context - is he also passive aggressive in not scoring and hitching his loyalty wagon to Ja, against the coaches, or is he not on board with the new O schemes or how it was communicated or what?

[Yoshun]

Honestly this just sounds like a lot of frustration over the game.

[wade44]

They really picked this idiot over Jenkins?

[canada_dry]

Hes a whiney baby.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[Indomitable]

This dude is such a joke, crazy people were trying to make him the face of the league.

Prime Video was trying real hard to make him a thing in the first half but nobody cared, especially Ja.

Watching this right now on League Pass and it's crazy how noticeable his pouting is. And then you compare him to a guy like Smart, who they could've kept instead.

Hilarious people in here still say he "has a chance to mature." This is his prime.

Pick the wrong franchise guy and lose a decade.

He has the Rasheed Wallace feel. Rasheed was the most talented player on that Detroit team but he was not required to be the leader. Ja is not a leader. He a great talent though.

[Indomitable]

They really picked this idiot over Jenkins?

Why did Jenkins get fired?

[djsunyc]

ja's always been a straight shooter.

[Mamba Mentality]

You can’t go 0-6 from three, shoot 21% and then blame the coaching staff. Talk about poor self awareness.

[Archx]

I sooo wish Obradovic was his coach, just for a week. He would probably quit basketball after one practice. Poor baby.

[DusterBuster]

Is Ja Morant actually good?

This seems like a bad contract.

Gonna be absolutely fascinating if they actually trade him. His value is gonna be shockingly low I think.

[jokeboy86]

I think Ja is just pissed off in general period because in his mind the world(media, Grizzlies organization, ex-players) turned on him and painted him as villain and didn't have his back after the off-court stuff. So in his mind if people think he's a villain and a bad guy then that's who he'll be (at least publicly that's what he's portraying). Since he came back last year he's been basically letting people know that they zapped his enthusiasm because of their agenda against him.

[Indomitable]

I think Ja is just pissed off in general period because in his mind the world(media, Grizzlies organization, ex-players) turned on him and painted him as villain and didn't have his back after the off-court stuff. So in his mind if people think he's a villain and a bad guy then that's who he'll be (at least publicly that's what he's portraying). Since he came back last year he's been basically letting people know that they zapped his enthusiasm because of their agenda against him.

So he is immature.

[Airmiess]

I think Ja is just pissed off in general period because in his mind the world(media, Grizzlies organization, ex-players) turned on him and painted him as villain and didn't have his back after the off-court stuff. So in his mind if people think he's a villain and a bad guy then that's who he'll be (at least publicly that's what he's portraying). Since he came back last year he's been basically letting people know that they zapped his enthusiasm because of their agenda against him.

All he was asked to do was stop getting misdemeanors hanging with hoodlums.

And he rebelled like a teenaged white girl.

He would probably be in SGA or at least Ant's position right now if he just chilled.