Ex-NBA Star’s Strong Ja Morant Statement Is What the Grizzlies Need To Hear

Almost every fan in Memphis would hope that the answer to that question is a surefire "yes," but there are certainly two scenarios where Morant would leave the Grizzlies. One, the Grizzlies continue to see limited success, especially in the postseason, and Morant becomes disgruntled and demands a trade. Two, the Grizzlies grow tired of Morant's injuries and antics, ultimately deciding to move on and capitalize on his trade value.

Of course, the expectation is that neither of those will happen, and Morant will be with the Grizzlies for a long time, but fans cannot assume that the franchise would make the mistake of letting him walk.

When Morant plays, he is arguably the most exciting player in the NBA and is one of the top fan attractions the league has had in recent memory. Despite being in such a small market, Morant has become one of the league's biggest stars and is a walking highlight reel.

Morant's value in Memphis

Of course, the Grizzlies win more games when Morant is on the floor, but he brings much more to the franchise than that. Morant is arguably the most important athlete in Memphis history, and the city cannot let him go.

Former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague recently talked about how Morant is one of the most exciting players in the league on the "Club 520 Podcast," but nobody cares about the Grizzlies when he is not playing.

"Memphis is a cool team to watch when Ja Morant is playing," Teague said. "When Ja's not playing, like, please don't put Memphis on TV. And that's not disrespect... He talk crazy. He competitive, bro. He ain't trying to ask anybody to come play with him... I mess with that whole vibe, man."

Teague's co-host, DJ Wells, also said, "Even the vibe of the city is different. When Ja got it going, Memphis is a different city. The 'Ja Effect' is one thousand percent real."

Morant is the most important athlete in the city of Memphis, and the franchise has to recognize that he is far too vital to the franchise and the area to trade him. The franchise should be doing all it can to keep Morant happy, as they are much better off if he can stay in Memphis for his entire NBA career.