Ja Morant will re-sign with the Memphis Grizzlies on a five-year max rookie extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal will pay him $193 million over five years with the potential to reach up to $231 million. The face of the Grizzlies will be staying in Memphis for years to come.
Morant just led the Grizzlies to arguably the best season in franchise history. Their 56 wins tied the 2012-13 team for the most in franchise history, and Morant’s individual growth was a big reason why. He won the NBA‘s Most Improved Player award by averaging 27.4 points and 6.7 assists per game, and if he continues to improve at the rate he has thus far, it won’t be long before he’s competing for MVP awards.
The Grizzlies reached the second round of the postseason, and were it not for Morant’s season-ending injury, might have ultimately knocked the eventual champion Golden State Warriors out of the playoffs. Memphis split the first two games against the Warriors and very nearly took Game 1 and a 2-0 lead to San Francisco. But a bone bruise suffered in Game 3 ended his team’s bid for the 2022 championship.
But with Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. now locked in for years to come, the Grizzlies should have plenty more chances to compete for the title. They have one of the NBA’s youngest rosters and a nearly endless supply of draft picks to use to bolster their roster on the trade market.
Retaining Morant is the key to everything for the Grizzlies. He might already be the greatest player to ever wear a Grizzlies uniform, and now we know that he plans to keep wearing one for at least the next five seasons.
