Ja Morant has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Following his recent controversies and various legal issues, Ja Morant has been suspended by the NBA for 8 games. This includes the games he has already missed. But, in the grand scheme of things, this is not the worst thing that could happen to his career this season and the next. According to his contract extension, his controversies could result in a massive pay cut. To find out how Ja Morant could lose millions of dollars, read more below.
With his 8-game suspension and possibly missing out on an All-NBA team, Ja Morant could lose a total of $40 Million
Ja Morant is in the 4th year of his rookie contract which is a 4-year $39 Million deal. That means he is being paid about $120,000 per game. After being suspended by the NBA for 8 games (without pay), Morant is about to lose $960,000. But, that’s not his biggest loss yet. The 2-time All-Star is set to receive a rookie max contract that will begin next season amounting to $194.3 Million for 5 years. The deal could go up by 30% ($39 Million raise) or $233.1 Million if Ja Morant acquires at least one of the following:
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Become a season MVP
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Win the Defensive Player of the Year
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Or, get chosen to at one of the three All-NBA teams
“That could cost [Ja Morant] upwards of $30M, if he’s not on the All-NBA team” 😳@ShamsCharania on Ja Morant missing a chunk of time post All-Star break…#RunItBack with @MichelleDBeadle @ChandlerParsons & @bansky pic.twitter.com/JQDUq11vsM
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) March 14, 2023
Clearly, although he is a runner-up, he is out of the picture for MVP as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid could easily win the award this year. Second, he definitely is not DPOY material. His only chance to get that huge bonus is if he gets selected for the All-NBA first, second, or third team.
However, with the controversies surrounding him and his absence due to suspension, he might miss an All-NBA team. Last year, Morant was selected for the 2nd team as one of the six (6) guards alongside Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, and Trae Young. This season, guards like Donovan Mitchell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, and Damian Lillard are all having a great year and are knocking at the door for an All-NBA team nod. That means, there’s a great chance that Ja Morant won’t be an All-NBA this year. As a result, he will probably miss that $39 Million bonus. Not to mention, he already lost almost a million dollars as of today.
Despite the drama, Ja Morant is undeniably the superstar the Memphis Grizzlies needs
Even without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies are still winning games. But, when it comes to the playoffs, they need someone to stand up for the whole team. That could be no other than Ja Morant. The 23-year-old all-star has a great effect on the Grizzlies, both offensively and defensively.
This season, he is averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. He also led the team to the 3rd seed in the wide-open Western Conference. With his suspension, Ja Morant will finally be eligible to return to the NBA on March 20. He will be joining the Memphis Grizzlies against the Dallas Mavericks. Unfortunately, he will be missing their last matchup against their rivals, the Golden State Warriors on March 18.
Will Ja Morant be able to bounce back? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.
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