Ja Morant will not find joy with Heat

Morant was playing ok with Coach Taylor Jenkins and Assistant coach Noah Laroache last season — until he didn’t. Then the Grizzlies hired Tuomas Iisalo and Morant started to play well — until he didn’t. This season, Laroache has consulted with the Heat and the Heat have the best offense in the league.

Morant needs to be “the center of attention” on a team, ala Jimmy Butler. Morant would benefit from the Heat offensive game plan. He would do well with Bam Adebayo. This trade theory from Bleacher Report has Morant sent to Miami for Tyler Herro, so no Herro.

Morant vs. Spoelstra = Not good

Morant seems to not like direct criticism. Iisalo is a direct coach as per this article on SI.com. Definitely, Iisalo told Morant things “that were direct” to help Morant improve and Morant bristled. Imagine how the relationship of Morant with Spoelstra would go? Not any better.

Removing Morant’s abbreviated 2024-2025 season due to injury, the last full season he played, he had a defensive rating of 111.2. That is not great. That is “Bradley Beal territory.” Morant also hasn’t played more than 67 games per season. He’s injury prone also like Tyler Herro.

The Heat are beginning to exit “the Jimmy Butler era” which was nutso for the franchise. Morant channeled his “inner Jimmy Butler” last night in a post-game interview at his locker. Morant was snapping at journalists, acting insecure at the genesis of their questions and finally, he admitted “he lost his joy.”