Ja Morant had a challenging 2023-24 season with the Grizzlies. He missed most of the year due to a shoulder injury and sitting out 25 games from a suspension. Morant is making big changes though. After moving on from his former NBA agent Jim Tanner, Morant has moved to join Memphis legend Mike Miller.
Morant is joining Lift Sports Management, per an announcement on their X account. Former Grizzlies player and NBA champion Mike Miller established Lift as a full-service sports management agency to help athletes achieve success on the court, in business, and in their personal lives, according to the agency’s website.
Lift represents many NBA and WNBA athletes. A few notable names include Paolo Banchero, Patrick Beverley, Wendell Carter Jr., Sydney Colson, and Didi Richards. Former Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones is another recognizable client.
Ja Morant’s move to Lift is a big step that should help him get closer to achieving his goals.
One of Morant’s biggest offseason priorities has been getting healthy. The star guard suffered a right shoulder subluxation in early January that ruled him out for the rest of the 2023-24 season. Morant had just returned from his early-season suspension and was taking Memphis to another level.
The Grizzlies guard averaged 25.1 points, 8.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and shot 47.1 percent from the floor in nine games. His efforts earned him the Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 9 of the NBA season.
Morant is a true game-changer for the Grizzlies, and when he returns healthy, the team should regain its status as Western Conference contenders. It will be interesting to see how the organization manages the roster going into the 2024 offseason. Regardless, there will be stout contributors returning.
Ja Morant, Grizzlies look to regain dominance in 2024-25
The Grizzlies finished the 2023-24 season with a 27-55 record, which placed them 13th in the Western Conference standings. Their finish starkly contrasted to the previous year where they went 51-31 and earned the West’s second seed in the NBA Playoffs.
Of course, Memphis’ subpar year must be taken with a grain of salt considering the outrageous number of injuries they were subject to. In addition to Ja Morant, the following players missed significant time due to injury: Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose, Jaren Jackson Jr., Zaire Williams, and many more.
Almost every person on the Grizzlies roster suffered an ailment that prevented them from staying on the court. Nevertheless, the Western Conference could be in trouble once the team gets healthy.
A potential healthy starting lineup for the Grizzlies would look like this:
PG: Ja Morant
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: Desmond Bane
PF: Brandon Clark
C: Jaren Jackson Jr.
This lineup makes for a blend of tenacious defense and explosive offense that would be hard to stop. Smart and Jackson Jr. are two former Defensive Players of the Year. Bane and Morant are two of the best scorers in the NBA, and Clark does nearly everything on the floor to help his team win.
All in all, Ja Morant’s squad looks to have brighter days by the start of the 2024-25 season. Can the Grizzlies avenge their down year and get back to the top of the West?
More must-reads: