The Grizzlies are not having the best season and Ja Morant‘s return could be the much-needed help they have been waiting for. The league slapped an eight-game suspension on him for flaunting a firearm in an Instagram livestream in March. Two months later, he pulled a similar stunt where he was seen with a gun in another live-stream.

This resulted in a 25-game suspension and he is expected to return on the 19th for the Grizzlies’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans. However, forward, Kenneth Lofton’s position in the team might be in danger because of the Ja’s comeback.

The Grizzlies are letting go of Kenneth Lofton Jr.

According to sources, the team management is planning on letting go of 21-year-old forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. to accommodate Ja because of a “roster crunch with Ja Morant returning from suspension.” The Grizzlies’ roster currently hosts 21 players and they want to make room for Ja, which could potentially lead to Lofton’s trade.

The 21-year-old went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and later signed a four-year two-way contract with the Grizzlies towards the end of the season. He had a blast in the G-League and went on to be named as the G-League’s Rookie of the Year last season. Despite this, Lofton hasn’t seen much action this season.

Struggling numbers for Lofton

Lofton has played only 15 of the 24 games the Grizzlies have played so far, averaging 6.6 minutes per game. In contrast to his rookie year, the 6’6″ young star’s numbers have taken a fall as well; his averages stand at 2.6 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. For now, the Grizzlies are looking to stay afloat, so it makes sense that their full attention is on Ja.

Read More- “Can’t Say That I Regret It”: Ja Morant Speaks About His Suspension and Undergoing Therapy

The team did not have a good head start to begin with, taking a six-game losing streak right off the bat. They are currently in 4th position in the Southwest Division and will have to put in a lot of work to recover from the heavy losses they took. Ja’s return could be the silver lining in their stormy clouds.

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What are your expectations of Ja’s comeback? Does he have what it takes to take the team out of the slump they are in? Let us know in the comments below!