Another Doncic situation? Well, if you are a Grizzlies fan, you might already find it hard to digest the departure of HC Taylor Jenkins. With the Grizzlies tumbling down the Eastern Conference, rumors have started circling Ja Morant’s long-term future. He’s their best player by a long shot, despite his off-court charades and injury setbacks. But that’s not a common thought among the media. So much so that ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has gone and said that Ja would have to ‘audition’ for his long-term future. Well, former NFL running back Marcus ‘Doc’ Holliday is having none of that, shutting down such trains of thought.
While on Get Up ESPN, KP had talked about the firing of long-time Grizzlies HC Taylor Jenkins; he wondered if the sudden announcement was made due to the front office and HC not meeting eye-to-eye on attacking philosophies. But Ja Morant? Yes, this context then brought on the topic of Ja Magic Man- and his role in Jenkins’ offensive plays. “And so all of a sudden you have a front office, B.C., that hired his coaching staff, right? Which Memphis had one of the best offensive teams in the league, but they run the least pick and rolls in the league, right? Ja Morant thrives better in what—when he has the ball in his hands. This firing also shows me we don’t care what you think, Ja. So I think from this point forward, Ja Morant is auditioning,” said Perkins.
Doc and KP are good friends, but are they on the same page on this? “When you auditon… you have to prove to the people that you auditioning for… that you deserve a spot within that organisation. Means you haven’t already proven yourself… So to say that Ja is auditioning for a spot with the Grizzlies, which is his team? That doesn’t make any sense,” said Doc Holliday. Oh, no! He reiterated in the rant that he put out on X.
But just like the Grizzlies front office and former HC, the pair don’t see eye-to-eye on this take either. Doc said what everyone thinks: Ja isn’t just another player. He’s a generational talent. A player you don’t see often. There are only 5-6 like him in the NBA. If the Grizzlies do have even a morsel of thought in moving Morant away from the team, that should happen in place of someone with the same caliber: an SGA or Anthony Edwards, if you will.
More thoughts on @KendrickPerkins saying @JaMorant is auditioning to keep his spot on the @memgrizz! pic.twitter.com/zynaA32lT6
— Doc Holliday (@The_DocHolliday) March 31, 2025
But after Luka Doncic’s trade situation, you can’t predict much. Doc acknowledged that, while simultaneously stating the importance of Ja’s role in the Grizzlies. He said that another Luka Doncic situation is unlikely to happen. Or is it?
Singular comment on Ja Morant’s trade got Zach Kleiman trembling, says Sam Amick
The beauty of the NBA is its unpredictability. The highs and lows, the overachievers and the underachievers. But the Doncic trade pretty much peaked in terms of unpredictability. Not just the Association, but the whole sporting world was at his feet when he was surprisingly traded to the Lakers. But as unpredictable as it might be, Athletic’s NBA writer Sam Amick has warned the world not to understate the possibility of a déjà vu.
“My buddy and colleague from the Ringer Howard Beck had said on a podcast that he heard that we should all be on the lookout for Ja to maybe be on the move. I thought it was fascinating that Zach- it wasn’t even a hard report, it wasn’t headlines and breaking news. It was just something somebody said on a podcast, and next thing you know Zach is publicly commenting on it and saying that the other teams can keep dreaming,” said Sam on an episode of Run It Back.
Does this highlight a deeper insecurity of the Grizzlies’ GM? The sacking of Taylor Jenkins was as untimely as it gets; unimaginable stuff just before the playoffs. If Morant wasn’t going to leave, and if Kleiman knew it, he’d not be forced into submission like he was. This could mean that another Luka Doncic situation could be on the cards.
Jan 15, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts after scoring a three point basket during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
All this just means one thing- Ja Morant’s situation is unclear. Everything else is just hyperbole. Another Luka situation could be on the cusp. But if that ends up happening, it’s not ’cause Ja wasn’t worthy of his spot as the Memphis Grizzlies’ leading attacker. Well, at least that’s what Doc Holliday thinks. You can let us know what you think in the debate below!
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