Was Ja Morant being delusional? The 2x NBA All-Star had a scary fall in Game 3 of the playoff series, which was followed by his exit due to a hip contusion. Interestingly, the team held a 29-point lead over the Thunder in the first half before that. However, after the superstar’s exit, it didn’t take long for the Thunder to bounce back and claim dominance, ultimately sealing the win with a 117-115. With a disappointing end in Game 4 in Morant’s absence, the Grizzlies were swept. But it’s the Grizzlies star’s bold comment that’s making headlines and caught Dwyane Wade‘s attention, too.

So, here’s what happened. The Grizzlies’ underwhelming performances in Games 1 and 2 were quite obvious. In both games, Morant’s squad was surpassed by 51 and 19 points, respectively. Yet right before Game 3, the team was high in spirits. That even led to Morant claiming that he had “figured out” how to defeat the young Thunder squad. Scottie Pippen Jr. sang the same tune. 

“Going out Game 3, not being able to play was frustrating because that win right there could’ve made this totally different. I feel like we’d be on the way to OKC, series tied 2-2 right now,” he told the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Jonah Dylan. Morant even declared that the Grizzlies would have the series tied 2-2. But we all know that didn’t happen.

Looking back at the series, Dwyane Wade, his former teammate Dorell Wright, and the rest of the podcast crew highlighted a different side. Both former Miami Heat players acknowledged how good the opposing team was. Wright even joked that Morant was being “delusional” thinking he would be able to turn the series around in Game 3 and that they just got extra games to play. 

“Even Ja Morant was a little delusional…He said some s—,” Wright said. “He said I figured them out,” Dwyane Wade added as he laughed. The situation was not so hilarious on the Grizzlies’ end. “Yeah, it’s time to go home, take your s— to get to the house all right, they had no business,” Wright said. Well, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had been phenomenal throughout the season. He was the same in the series, too. However, it can’t be ignored that the Memphis Grizzlies did play well until Morant got injured. Had he been healthy, could the result have been different?

The Grizzlies’ star is one of the league’s elite players when healthy. But as per the latest rumors and a report by ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon, perspectives may be shifting. “When I’m talking to people around the league, GMs, execs, scouts, I don’t have people telling me that they think Ja is a top-10 player when he’s healthy anymore,” he said. 

He currently has a deal with the Grizzlies valued at $39.4 million, and while the GM has assured that Morant is not going anywhere, rumors suggest that his market value is limited. Morant recently got criticized for another of his gestures during the playoffs.

Ja Morant gets criticised by Stephen A. Smith for an odd gesture

The ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has been a vocal supporter of the Grizzlies star. As mentioned, there was hype around the team after its impressive first half of the season. However, after the injuries, the team struggled to find its pace again. The team was 12-16 in their final 28 games of the season. One of the toughest times for the Grizzlies came during Game 1 of the playoffs.

SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder were ahead by 50 points with just a few seconds left on the clock. The tension was obvious among the team. The Thunder had been dominant throughout the season. However, one gesture from the Grizzlies superstar drew attention. Smith was quick to highlight that Morant was laughing just moments before the game. 

“Here’s what I won’t veer attention away from: You lost by 51. Y’all were down 50. And you’re on the bench… laughing?” Smith emphasized. “No. I don’t want to see that. I don’t think anybody in Memphis wants to see that,” Smith said. He felt that the gesture wasn’t appropriate and showed that the team was taking the defeat lightly.

However, it seems that the Grizzlies’ star had taken it quite seriously and made efforts to flip the game until his injury struck him down. The star named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2022 has shown his impressive playing style when healthy. With this, there’s still a question looming over Morant and his ability to lead the team.