Latest bombshell gives advantage to Timberwolves in West standings
By Bret Stuter
Grizzlies are unlikely to overcome this setback easily
So what do the experts think? The best guesstimates are that the Memphis Grizzlies star is facing a substantial suspension, with a consensus of half of the 2023-24 NBA season.
People around the league believe Ja Morant will be suspended for no less than the first half of the regular season, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/w61eMJ1UP1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 4, 2023
When will that happen? Well, there’s no time like the present, eh? And it appears that the decision that impacts Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the NBA at large, could be announced as soon as today:
“There’s an expectation that today could be the day. … It’s probably going to be more than 18 games.”
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 16, 2023
— @wojespn on Ja Morant’s suspension announcement pic.twitter.com/jMTIz48t5o
That will likely derail the Grizzlies’ chances at a high seed in the 2024 NBA Playoffs and may derail their post-season concerns altogether. After all, Morant is the star of their show. Losing Morant early may be a benefit in that it gives the Grizzlies plenty of time to prepare for his absence. But can the Grizzlies compensate effectively? It comes down to this. What can the Memphis Grizzlies do in response?
The Grizzlies could shut down their 2023-24 NBA season deliberately, holding a firesale of veteran players for 2024 draft picks and young players who can emerge during the 2024-25 NBA season, theoretically when all of the dust settles.