The general manager for the Memphis Grizzlies recently attended an interview with the media and broke down the ongoing Ja Morant situation. Many of us are already in the know about what is going on. The Grizzlies star has come under the scrutiny of the NBA after having repeatedly associated himself with firearms and other forms of gang-like behavior.
Although he didn’t do anything illegal, the number of problems Ja has caused for himself and his franchise should not be overlooked too easily. After all, the image of an NBA superstar must be maintained since there is always a large fan base following them.
That said, we never really got to hear how Zach Kleiman feels about Ja. While the Grizzlies did send out public messages on the Ja Morant situation, they weren’t directly interviewed and asked to explain ongoing events. Since Kleiman addressed this issue to the media, let us take a closer look at what he had to say.
When will Ja Morant return for the Memphis Grizzlies?
Fans know that the Memphis Grizzlies were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers. However, Ja’s behavior and the reactions to his antics have kept people engaged for several months now. In fact, NBA commissioner Adam Silver revealed that the main focus should be on the NBA Finals as opposed to Ja’s situation.
We soon found out that Ja was expected to be suspended for around 25 games next season and would eventually have to regain the trust of his organization and team. That also seemed to be the essence of the message shared by Kleiman when asked to discuss how his franchise was dealing with Ja Morant.
“I think there’s a lot of healthy dialogue there(between Morant & players union). I think everyone acknowledged early on that this was going to be ongoing and Ja wasn’t just going to become the best version of himself overnight. I think there’s many serious steps he needs to continue to take…There’s no strain in the relationship but we have high expectations of the standard that Ja’s going to have to hold himself to.”
“We’re certainly disappointed with the behavior that transpired… The thing to focus on at this point… what’s Ja gonna commit to going forward?”
Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman on Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension 🗣
(via @PAKA_FLOCKA)pic.twitter.com/K8GhbWkVx6
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 23, 2023
Grizzlies fans would undoubtedly be relieved to hear that these events haven’t strained Ja’s relationship with the Grizzlies. Since he is a superstar and considered to be the face of his franchise, there are certain expectations and standards that come along with them. Hopefully, Morant is able to live up to said expectations and soon return to the court for his team.
