After making a strong impact in his return from a six-game absence in Sunday’s 126-109 win over the Orlando Magic, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant made it clear he wants to stay with Memphis.
“I’ve got a (Grizzlies) logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be,” Morant said after the game. “If anybody in (the locker room) knows me, I’m a very loyal guy.”
Morant scored a game-high 24 points in his first game back, making 7 of 13 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 on 3-point attempts. He also tied his season high with 13 assists.
The subject of trade rumors, Morant had been sidelined since Jan. 2 with a right calf contusion and has been limited to 19 of the team’s 41 games due to a few injuries.
Morant’s contract, a five-year, $197 million deal, expires after the 2027-28 season. He’s eligible for a three-year, $178 million extension next summer.
Without signing him to an extension, any team taking on Morant at the February trade deadline would owe him the balance of his existing deal: the remainder of his $39.4 million salary for the current season, $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million for 2027-28.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Morant is playing fewer minutes this season, averaging a career-low 28.3 to go with 19 points and 7.6 assists per game.
Morant, 26, has career averages of 22.4 points, 7.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds and one steal per game.
–Field Level Media
