In recent years, chaos seemed to follow Ja Morant. From the gun issues to the injuries and the trade rumors this season, everything off the court seemed to dominate the headlines for the wrong reasons. But on a cold evening in London, we were reminded of what has made Morant a tantalizing figure in today’s NBA. 

Morant wasted no time in announcing his return, dishing out six assists in the first quarter to ignite the Memphis Grizzlies’ offense. After setting the table for his teammates, he proceeded to take matters into his own hands, scoring 15 points and piling onto the Orlando Magic’s misery. Of course, it wasn’t without the usual Morant antics that drive people nuts.  

The Grizzlies are at their best when their players are healthy, but it’s Morant who matters the most. His explosive style of play is what ignites the rest of the offense and allows Jaren Jackson Jr. to be a two-way menace, Jock Landale to turn into prime Marc Gasol, and has led to the emergence of Cedric Coward. 

Morant’s health is also integral to his trade value, although the return may not have been much given his offcourt history and the lower leverage that can come with a trade demand from a player. 

On the surface, Morant’s 19.3 points per game average would be his lowest since his sophomore year (19.1), but sitting and then coming back and then repeating the process again can take its toll. While he has had a career year from the free throw line (89 percent on 5.7 attempts), the injuries and perhaps even the fear of reinjury have lessened those trips. 

Nonetheless, Morant playing well is the only way that this situation ends well. A healthy Morant makes Memphis a competitive squad and at the same time, it raises his trade value. So far, the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has publicly pronounced his love for the city and his desire to stay, but we can never tell what goes on behind closed doors. But teams looking for a player of Morant’s caliber could come knocking especially if he builds on his solid performance in London. If those teams can offer him a better situation than the Play-In Tournament this year and beyond, things could change in a hurry. 

There’s still a ton of basketball to be played and an All-Star Weekend for Ja Morant to get some rest and recover for what has been a turbulent (though not his most turbulent) season. He can work his way back to pre-injury form and return to his place as one of the NBA’s most entertaining (and at times controversial) stars. Whether or not he remains with the Memphis Grizzlies, though, is anyone’s guess.