Copyright sportskeeda
The Ja Morant trade rumors rose to another level on Friday following the Memphis Grizzlies’ 124-109 loss to the Houston Rockets. Morant had another disappointing outing, his second since returning from a one-game suspension. The Grizzlies sidelined him on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors for what they called “conduct detrimental to the team.”Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony introduced the Heat, a team that could fit well for Morant on Thursday’s “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. Melo had this to say about the former All-Star point guard joining a franchise valued at $5.7 billion by Forbes:“This is not about basketball with Ja [Morant] now. This is holding him accountable as a man, as a professional. … Ja need culture. He need to go to a culture centered on hard work and discipline. I’m not mad at him in Miami. Pat [Riley] gonna let you be you, but you also gotta be professional.”The Ja Morant situation started on Friday during the Grizzlies’ 117-112 loss to the LA Lakers. Morant seemed disengaged, particularly on defense. At one point, he sat behind the bench as the team huddled for a late-game possession.Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo reportedly confronted Morant in front of the team. “G12” later deflected questions to the “coaching staff” when asked to comment about his team’s loss. Shams Charania reported that the Grizzlies announced Morant’s suspension a day later for “a tone the franchise deemed inappropriate.Ja Morant returned on Monday when the Grizzlies hosted the Detroit Pistons. After another loss, he responded “No” when reporters asked him if he still has joy playing basketball. Morant added that he would see what it would take for him to regain that fire.Carmelo Anthony thinks Morant might respond well to Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley in Miami.Carmelo Anthony and ex-NFL star Carmelo Anthony have contrasting solutions to Ja Morant issueCarmelo Anthony sees Ja Morant responding well to the “culture” built by Pat Riley in Miami. With a championship-winning coach in Erik Spoelstra, the athletic guard could be more coachable and accountable.Former NFL star Cam Newton, however, cautions against such a scenario for Morant. Newton, in his “4th&1” podcast on Thursday, noted that Morant has had trouble in Memphis, a small-market team. The 2015 NFL MVP added that the attractions in Miami, Atlanta, New York, Dallas and LA could result in more issues for Morant.Newton continued that playing in Charlotte for the North Carolina Panthers was a “blessing” for him since the city “shuts down after 8 p.m.” He urged Ja Morant to think of Memphis as his “blessing” in the NBA.
