The 2021-22 season was kind to the Memphis Grizzlies, with the club tying a franchise record with 56 victories. Memphis boasts a loaded roster with quality depth, but the Grizzlies also have a legitimate superstar in point guard Ja Morant. Though Morant is under contract for one more season as part of his rookie deal as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old also entered July with eligibility for a max extension with Memphis. The Grizzlies wasted no time in securing an agreement with Morant, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the two sides came together on a five-year deal worth $193 million.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
Unsurprisingly, Ja was excited about his new deal.
damn pic.twitter.com/nU7WexVjN8
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) July 1, 2022
Morant earned All-NBA honors this season, as he was voted to the second team, but needs to replicate that performance to unlock the 30 percent max, which takes his deal to $230 million. Morant, who also was selected as the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year, averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game in 57 games for the Grizzlies this season. He also posted career-best marks in effective field goal percentage (53.0 percent) and true shooting percentage (57.5 percent), with Morant maintaining impressive efficiency despite a 33.7 percent usage rate.
With Morant in the center of the frame as one of the most exciting players in the league, the future is exceedingly bright for the Grizzlies, and the organization can build confidently with the franchise player secured on a long-term deal. In addition, Memphis locked in quality depth with a two-year deal for backup Tyus Jones, and the Grizzlies will enter the 2022-23 campaign with one of the best point guard situations in the NBA, headlined by Morant.