Ja Morant

The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies are headed for a Christmas Day rematch following their contentious Western Conference Semifinal series, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein reported Saturday the teams are tentatively slotted into one of the biggest days during the NBA's regular season.

The Warriors knocked the Grizzlies out in the semifinals en route to the first title of their dynastic run in 2014-15. The style clash between the two franchises lent a different feel to their head-to-head meetings.

But it wasn't until the 2022 postseason that Golden State and Memphis could be plausibly deemed rivals.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr asserted Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks "broke the code" on a hard foul that resulted in a fractured elbow for Gary Payton II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hwFrE_7ytU

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins then questioned Jordan Poole's culpability when Ja Morant suffered a bone bruise in his knee that knocked him out for the series.

The Grizzlies only lost Game 4 by three points without Morant and won Game 5 by 39 points. With Morant healthy, maybe they wind up knocking out the eventual NBA champions.

Warriors star Draymond Green reflected after the series that Memphis' roster "can be really special," per The Athletic's Sam Amick:

The only thing I can do is give my respect to that team; they earned that. You know, there was a lot of talk in this series of fouls and this and that, and this should be reviewed and that should be reviewed. I think it really started to take away from what was a really great, great, series with two amazing teams.

A war of words continued well after the conference semifinals.

Basking in the Warriors' NBA Finals win, Klay Thompson called Jaren Jackson Jr. a "bum" and a clown" after Jackson mocked the team's "Strength in Numbers" rallying cry earlier in the year.

"I can't wait to retweet that thing. Freakin' bum."

Klay's been keeping receipts 🤣 pic.twitter.com/WJReCAVukK

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 17, 2022

That prompted a response from Morant, which drew a reply from Green.

We traded that real estate in @JaMorant the property value was higher in Boston https://t.co/X7Du6zSiZF

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) June 19, 2022

The Grizzlies' swagger was their signature characteristic as they posted the NBA's second-best record (56-26) in 2021-22. That makes them a great foil for a team as accomplished as the Warriors are.

Facing off on Christmas Day is a sign of how important Golden State vs. Memphis has become in a short amount of time.

Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, and he recently received substantial praise from one of his rivals.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was asked which young player reminds him most of himself, and he singled out Morant. The 23-year-old floor general expressed his gratitude for Green's compliments on Twitter:

wooo dats real shii 💯 https://t.co/1mEGSTQe98

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) August 11, 2022

While Green and Morant have much different styles of play, the veteran forward told the Volume it's more Morant's attitude and demeanor that are reminiscent of himself (h/t AFD's Jonathan Sherman):

"I ain’t bowing down to none of y’all. I don’t care what you’ve accomplished before I got here. That has absolutely nothing to do with me. I believe in myself and my abilities. I’m going to show you that. I’m going to lead. I’m going to talk to you and let you know about it while I’m doing it. I’m gonna carry others with me, and most importantly, I’m gone do it my way. And all of those things that I just named, I see Ja Morant do."

Despite the recent cordial back-and-forth, Green and Morant have traded barbs on social media a couple times this offseason, culminating in a challenge for a Christmas Day game.

It's clear that Warriors-Grizzlies games next season will be some intense, entertaining showdowns.

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies reached an agreement on a five-year, $193 million designated rookie extension that could become worth $231 million, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Morant shared his thoughts about the extension shortly after it was revealed:

Memphis is my home 💙

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) July 1, 2022

damn pic.twitter.com/nU7WexVjN8

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) July 1, 2022

Morant became extension-eligible following the 2021-22 season, and a max contract felt inevitable.

"I'm definitely happy to be here," the All-Star guard told reporters in May. "Memphis is my home. As that go when that conversation comes up, I feel like it will be in the media for everybody to see. If your answer is do I want to be in Memphis: Hell yeah."

General manager Zach Kleiman struck a similar tone.

"I'm of course not allowed to say specifics on that," he said of a possible contract. "Whatever I'm allowed to say under the NBA rules without violating the CBA, I hereby say about what our plans would be for Ja as a cornerstone here."

Morant averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 57 games. He shot 49.3 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc. The 22-year-old's step forward was rewarded with the NBA's Most Improved Player award.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKAR4M1wwC0

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, tied a franchise record with 56 wins and earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Were it not for Morant's bone bruise in the playoffs, Memphis might have advanced to the conference finals.

More than just his individual numbers or the team's wins and losses, Morant has epitomized the ideals of a true franchise player.

Almost immediately the 6'3" playmaker understood the opportunity for him to become a symbol for the entire city of Memphis.

"I think Ja could retire a Grizzly because he sees himself in this place and this place sees itself in him," John Martin of ESPN Radio 92.9 in Memphis told Andscape's Justin Tinsley. "Ja’s not from here. But he’s of here."

Jerry Dover Jr., who coaches girls basketball at a private school in East Memphis, told Tinsley that Morant "will have an Allen Iverson-like effect on the city."

On the court, Morant's personality and confidence can rub off on his teammates. Throughout this past season, Memphis displayed an attitude belying the squad's general youth and lack of collective success.

Morant described the franchise's culture as "drippy" in a February interview with ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"That's our identity, and that's going to continue to be our identity," he said. "Some guys don't like it, but it gives us an edge. It gives us a boost, a lot of energy out there on the floor, so we're going to continue to do it."

The "Grit and Grind" era brought sustained relevancy to the Grizzlies for the first time and yielded a trio of stars (Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph) who felt unique to the organization. Randolph was the first player to have his jersey retired by the team.

But with all due respect to Conley, Gasol and Randolph, Morant can be a truly transformative figure on a different scale, an All-NBA talent with the charisma to match.

Giving him the most money allowable under the collective bargaining agreement was a no-brainer, and there was nothing to indicate he'd hesitate to agree when presented with a formal offer.

Now, the hard part for Kleiman comes with improving the supporting cast around Morant to get the Grizzlies their first championship.

The Brooklyn Nets' championship window may have slammed shut.

When Kyrie Irving told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium on Monday that he intended to pick up his player option, many thought that was a reprieve for Brooklyn when it came to the team's top two stars.

However, Charania and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Kevin Durant has requested a trade.

Naturally, the news set social media ablaze, with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid among those reacting:

easy money

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) June 30, 2022

LOL

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/bykevinclark/status/1542581813612249088

HOOOOLY SHIT https://t.co/O5G0V10yY2

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 30, 2022

Brooklyn man, sheesh

— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) June 30, 2022

Holy shiitake https://t.co/AQXwL01yjB

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) June 30, 2022

KD when Kyrie said he's coming back pic.twitter.com/Df9hZb0HUw

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) June 30, 2022

I cannot wrap my head around Brooklyn surrendering a first-round pick for 29-year-old Royce O'Neale at around the same time Kevin Durant requests a trade.

— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) June 30, 2022

Wojnarowski reported June 22 that teams around the NBA were monitoring Irving's situation in the belief his departure could make Durant available. That led to plenty of discourse about where KD might play next.

Now that he has formally requested a trade, let the hypothetical dealing commence:

I need KD & Chris Paul vs. the Warriors in the playoffs. I will give a year off my life for that

— Rohan Nadkarni (@RohanNadkarni) June 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/DavidDTSS/status/1542584530011308033

So, what could the Hornets give up to land KD?

— Jason Huber (@_JasonHuber) June 30, 2022

Memphis' baseline offer would need to be something like this:
-Desmond Bane
-Dillon Brooks
-Ziaire Williams
-Steven Adams
-2023 1st
-2024 1st
-2024 1st (from GS)
-2025 1st

And I'd do this. KD is probably the best player in the world when he's at the top of his craft.

— Nathan Chester (@NathanChester24) June 30, 2022

Heat can’t include Bam Adebayo in a potential Kevin Durant deal because of CBA rules, as @BobbyMarks42 pointed out a few days ago. https://t.co/60hQusgZK4

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/MasonGinsberg/status/1542585273502076929

I still wanna see Durant go back to OKC. It would just be amazing to me. He could literally rewrite his legacy on the fly, going almost the same route that LeBron did to bring a title to the team that drafted him (well, the zombie Sonics) after rings elsewhere. Not happening tho

— Gordon Gross (@GMoneyNuggs) June 30, 2022

The plot will thicken when it comes to Irving.

Brooklyn's first-round draft capital for the foreseeable future is in the Houston Rockets' hands, so general manager Sean Marks can't tear it all down and build anew. Keeping Irving would help the Nets remain competitive, but it seems unlikely he or the team will want to move forward together if Durant is gone.

Kyrie and Ben Simmons, name a better duo ……………………………

— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) June 30, 2022

Kyrie: Let’s run it back in the fall KD brothas for life. KD: pic.twitter.com/DYfAS3AiTG

— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) June 30, 2022

Kyrie: I'll see you in the fall

KD: pic.twitter.com/e8IbYG2fK5

— Reese Waters (@reesewaters) June 30, 2022

This is shaping up to be a disaster for the organization. The front office parted ways with head coach Kenny Atkinson in 2020 and steadily dismantled a promising young core in order to build around Durant and Irving.

Brooklyn did all that and might only have one conference semifinals run and two first-round exits to show for its trouble.

No one is blameless here.

The Nets majorly botched extension negotiations, KD enabled all of Kyrie’s behavior, and Kyrie… where do I even start.

What a way for a near-championship team to fall apart.

— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) June 30, 2022

Three years ago, the “Clean Sweep” happened.

To the day, Kevin Durant requests a trade out of Brooklyn. This is easily the worst year in Nets franchise history. https://t.co/wPbtBdln6B

— Chris Milholen (@ChrisMilholen) June 30, 2022

The Nets had Harden, Durant, and Kyrie and now they just got Ben Simmons. What a year.

— Rod (@rodimusprime) June 30, 2022

Brooklyn Nets did all of that end up looking like a boneless version of the Knicks? Tough scene. Tuff. Scene.

— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) June 30, 2022

Nets FO has no one to blame but themselves https://t.co/Vcii5HjIsv

— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) June 30, 2022

The Nets leaned all the way into player empowerment when they signed Durant and Irving. The epic failure of their plan will serve as a cautionary tale.

Ja Morant is coming for the defending NBA champions.

The Memphis Grizzlies guard said he wants to play the Warriors on Christmas Day in a back-and-forth with Draymond Green.

The Christmas Day matchup we need? 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/Lyi5bPTHju

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 19, 2022

The Grizzlies and Warriors have a simmering rivalry, with now multiple members of the veteran Golden State unit taking issue with comments made by Memphis players. After the Warriors closed out their championship win over the Boston Celtics, Klay Thompson called out Jaren Jackson Jr. for a tweet the Grizzlies forward sent out in March.

“Strength in numbers is alive and well,” Thompson told reporters after the win. “There was this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted ‘Strength in numbers’ after they beat us in the regular season, and it pissed me off so much. I can’t wait to retweet that thing. Freakin’ bum. I had to watch that. I’m like, ‘This freakin’ clown.’

"Sorry, that memory just popped up. Gonna mock us? You ain’t ever been there before. We’ve been there before, we know what it takes. So to be here again, hold that.”

"I can't wait to retweet that thing. Freakin' bum."

Klay's been keeping receipts 🤣 pic.twitter.com/WJReCAVukK

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 17, 2022

The Warriors eliminated the Grizzlies during the second round of the playoffs in a hotly contested series, so the NBA could easily book those two teams for the Christmas schedule.

The NBA champion typically plays a home game on Christmas, and giving this growing rivalry a chance to shine on the brightest regular-season stage would be a potential ratings bonanza.

The beef between members of the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.

After Ja Morant tweeted that the Grizzlies "got a lot of real estate" in Klay Thompson's mind, Dubs forward Draymond Green couldn't help but respond to his comments.

We traded that real estate in @JaMorant the property value was higher in Boston https://t.co/X7Du6zSiZF

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) June 19, 2022

The bickering began when Thompson recalled a tweet from Grizzlies veteran Jaren Jackson Jr. after winning the 2022 NBA title. Jackson tweeted Golden State's slogan after Memphis beat the Warriors during the regular season in March.

Strength in numbers 👏🏾

— JJJ (@jarenjacksonjr) March 29, 2022

During his postgame press conference after eliminating the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Thompson called Jackson a "freakin' bum" for the tweet, noting that he couldn't wait to get on Twitter to retweet it.

"There's this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted 'Strength In Numbers' after they beat us in the regular season ... I can't wait to retweet that thing — freakin' bum."

- Klay Thompson
(via @NBCSWarriors)pic.twitter.com/Su75u1Mqq9

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 17, 2022

Thompson's comments prompted Morant's tweet, which then resulted in Green weighing in. Jackson has yet to comment since the back-and-forth began earlier this week.

The Warriors eliminated the Grizzlies in a heated six-game series in this year's Western Conference Semifinals. We should be in for some entertaining games between these two teams during the 2022-23 campaign.

As has become tradition during the NBA Finals, Monday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live featured the latest edition of NBA Mean Tweets.

This year's iteration was led off by Russell Westbrook, who had his wardrobe attacked. Ja Morant followed with a somewhat scathing tweet, though he took it well.

NEW @NBA #MeanTweets! pic.twitter.com/q3Eeija3Pk

— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) June 14, 2022

Anthony Edwards pointed out a typo in a tweet that was directed at him. He followed up by reaching out to the person who disparaged him in the first place:

Say Jack, what does taking mean. I still want to knw crazy man @suckerfish890 https://t.co/YFdzZ6hLHc

— Anthony Edwards (@theantedwards_) June 14, 2022

Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton was the closer of the segment, and he didn't take kindly to being told he looked like an older version of rapper Kanye West.

This year's NBA Mean Tweets segment was released just prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. The series is tied 2-2.

Ja Morant isn't leaving Memphis anytime soon.

The Grizzlies guard was excited about the prospect of potentially signing a contract extension when asked Sunday at his season-ending press conference.

"Memphis is my home. When that conversation comes up, I feel like it'll be in the media for everybody to see," Morant told reporters. "If your answer is, 'Do I wanna be in Memphis?' Hell yeah."

Ja Morant on does he want to be in Memphis “Hell yeah”

There’s your answer for his upcoming extension that he’s expected to sign this summer. pic.twitter.com/AhfCvNlwJe

— Evan Barnes (@evan_b) May 15, 2022

Morant will be eligible for a five-year, $217 million supermax contract this offseason, assuming he makes an All-NBA team (a virtual guarantee). The league's MIP averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds while leading the Grizzlies to a franchise-record 56 wins.

It appears the money won't be an issue for the Grizzlies, as general manager Zach Kleiman told reporters Sunday there won't be "any issues paying anyone who we want to pay" in order to keep the team together.

"There's never going to be any issue with retention here," Kleiman said.

A bone bruise in Morant's knee ended his postseason early, forcing him to miss the final three games of Memphis' second-round series against the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 38.3 points, 8.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds over the first three games of the series.

Offering Morant the full supermax is a no-brainer for the Grizzlies. He's already on the shortlist of the greatest players in franchise history and plays with a superstar flair that's going to make him a marketing goldmine.

As long as Morant wants to stay in Memphis, the Grizzlies will and should spend whatever money possible to keep him around.

Don't expect this to be a complicated negotiation.

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies were eliminated from the 2022 NBA playoffs by the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, but the All-Star point guard is already looking forward to his next showdown with Stephen Curry.

Morant, who missed the final three games of the second-round series with a knee injury, posted a message on Twitter after the season-ending loss:

fav matchup. 💪🏽 looking forward to more battles 30.. https://t.co/qsBkINpjBD

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) May 14, 2022

The 2022 NBA Most Improved Player was off to a tremendous start in the series before the injury. He averaged 38.3 points, 8.3 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 threes and 3.0 steals while shooting 50.6 percent from the field.

Memphis still trailed the series 2-1 despite Morant's standout performances. It split the first two games without him in the lineup but couldn't keep pace with the star-studded Warriors on Friday night.

"Ja is one of the best point guards in this league, so you guys know that obviously it would change," Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks told reporters. "But we made do with what we had."

Klay Thompson led the way for Golden State with 30 points in the series clincher. Curry wasn't far behind with 29.

After injuries derailed the Warriors' last two seasons, they've re-emerged as championship contenders and are now just eight wins away from their fourth title since 2015.

All of the Dubs' key contributors remain under contract for next season, so if the Grizzlies want to get through the West and make a push toward the first championship in franchise history, they'll likely have to get by Curry and Co. at some point in the journey.

"They know that we're going to come every single year," Brooks said. "We're young, they're getting old so they know we're coming every single year."

A healthy Morant is a key piece of the puzzle. Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins said Wednesday the dynamic guard shouldn't require surgery during the offseason, which bodes well for his chances of being ready for the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

Based on Morant's comments after Friday's loss, it sounds like the first thing he'll do after next season's schedule comes out is circle the matchups with Curry.

Although Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is doubtful to return during the playoffs because of a knee injury, he is not expected to require surgery.

According to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said Wednesday night that Morant won't need surgery on his right knee "from everything he is hearing."

Morant broke out in his third NBA season with 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game for a Grizzlies team that finished second in the Western Conference standings. Along the way, he earned his first-ever All-Star Game appearance.

The former Murray State star guided Memphis to a first-round playoff series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, which set up a Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Golden State Warriors.

Unfortunately, Morant suffered a bone bruise in his right knee after this moment with Warriors guard Jordan Poole during Memphis' 142-112 loss in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals:

“I was going for the ball. … I’m not even that type of player, I respect everybody. Hopefully he gets better, and we can see him out there next game.”

Jordan Poole on his incident with Ja Morant https://t.co/9rbDxEbzag

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 8, 2022

Morant missed Memphis' Game 4 loss, and the Grizzlies then announced on Tuesday that he would be doubtful for the remainder of the playoffs before declaring him out for Game 5.

The Grizzlies showed a ton of heart in Game 5 with their backs against the wall, as they blew out the Warriors 134-95, cut the series deficit to 3-2 and forced a Game 6.

Without the 22-year-old Morant, the Grizzlies turned to Tyus Jones to start at the point, and he delivered in Game 5 with 21 points and nine assists. Desmond Bane, De'Anthony Melton, Ziaire Williams and John Konchar all saw significant playing time in the backcourt as well.

Jones is a solid player in his own right and excels at both ends of the court, and the Grizzlies did go 20-5 during the regular season sans Morant thanks to their tremendous depth.

Memphis may not get Morant get back during these playoffs, but if he does indeed avoid surgery, he should be good to go for the start of the 2022-23 season.