No hooper’s career in the NBA is without challenges, but Ja Morant’s career has had too many challenges and a lot more things. For example, look at the 2023 season, a year that was marked by a series of off-court incidents. In February of that year, after a heated game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Indiana Pacers, there was a verbal fight between Pacers’ guard Andrew Nembhard and Morant’s father. And things turned out to be darker. Morant’s associates were said to have aggressively confronted members of the Pacers’ party near their team bus. To make matters worse, a red laser was allegedly pointed at the bus, leading some to believe it was attached to a gun. But, you know what? It got even worse.

Just a month later, in March 2023, another incident rocked Hooper’s career. This time, he was caught on Instagram Live flashing a gun inside a Colorado nightclub. The fallout was serious. He was suspended by the team, and his sponsor, Nike, issued a statement supporting him as he sought help for stress and anxiety. After attending counseling, he was suspended for eight games by the NBA. But that wasn’t the end. Then, in May, he was again suspended for flashing a gun during another Instagram Live, leading to a 25-game suspension in June 2023. However, now that he is out of everything, let’s look at his positive side, his NBA career. No matter what people say about him, he has been a rockstar on the court. So, let’s see how much his team pays him for being a superstar.

What is Ja Morant’s contract with the Memphis Grizzlies?

You know what? Some people keep getting better with each season that passes by, and one such person is Ja Morant. It’s been 6 years since he made his debut in the NBA, and since then, he has been with the Grizzlies. So, it’s obvious that his contract situation with them has evolved over the years, marking a major milestone with his recent extension. First, we will look into his rookie contract. When he was drafted in 2019, he signed a four-year rookie contract worth $39.6 million, with an average of about $9.9 million annually. This deal was fully guaranteed for $39.6 million, ensuring that Morant had a solid foundation as he entered the NBA.

And he didn’t disappoint, either. You must know that, in his first season itself, he started setting his bars high. For example, in his debut match against the Miami Heat, he recorded 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Now, this is too high of a score for your first NBA match. All this led him to score 1,138 points in his rookie season. And guess what? He won the Rookie of the Year award.

After being the Rookie of the Year in 2020, he had some great achievements, like appearing in the playoffs and first All-Star selection in 2021. With this, the Grizzlies knew they had a true champion in their hand, so how could they not give him a contract extension, right? They would do almost anything to keep this champ, so they offered him a five-year contract extension worth up to $231 million in 2022. And the best part? It came with a guaranteed money of $197.2 million, setting his average salary at about $39.4 million annually.

The new extension that came with a base salary for the 2023-24 season was around $34 million. And with each season passing by, this will only keep increasing to over $36 million in the current year. The extension was tied to Morant’s growing stature as one of the league’s top young players. In the same year, he was rewarded as the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Now, the contract seemed all worth it.

The 2X NBA All-Star’s talent isn’t just rare in terms of his skills, but the way he presents himself is also impressive. But before we keep praising the contract, let’s understand its structure. It is rewarding him for his performance—if he earns All-NBA honors, the value jumps to $231 million. Well, now, this is what we call a good use of the brain. If you see, that’s a really strong push for him not just to perform but also to be the face of the team for years to come. However, he will earn around $70 million by the end of the 2024-25 season alone. By the end of the extension, in 2027, he’ll make almost $45 million in a single season.

The contract also comes with a 15% trade bonus, which means if the team trades him, he will receive a chunk of that trade value. It’s a deal that puts him in the position to succeed financially while also giving Memphis a foundation for the future. The financial stability is great, but we are sure that Morant is more focused on making those playoff runs and chasing the next big thing, like a championship ring.

Isn’t it fascinating to see how quick Morant’s journey was? Like in just the blink of an eye, he went from rookie to a max contract star. When he first signed that rookie deal, it seemed like just another young player finding his way in the league. But look at him now; the Grizzlies have such a special star on their hands. However, now that we have seen his on-court earnings, let’s look into other sources of income outside the court.

What is Ja Morant’s net worth? Does he have any brand deals?

Do not be surprised to know that Ja Morant’s net worth is around $50 million. Well, the Grizzlies superstar isn’t just rocking on the court but also off the court. His brand deals have been game-changers. And they are major contributors to his net worth. He signed his biggest brand deal with Nike in 2019, which was a $12 million annual deal. Today, he’s not just a face of Nike; rather, he’s got his own signature line. His first shoe, the JA 1s, launched on Christmas Day 2022 and quickly became a hit. Fans were buzzing when they were released to the public in April 2023. The latest ones are the JA 2 Scratch Black Label EP, making waves in sneaker culture.

Apart from Nike, the hooper also has a partnership with Powerade, reportedly worth $10 million per year. Uh, now this is a solid endorsement, especially considering Powerade is all about the athlete’s image and appeal. For Morant, it’s a perfect fit, aligning with his rising star status. On top of that, he’s linked with Beats by Dre, another major brand deal that rounds out his portfolio.

It’s clear that Morant’s marketability goes beyond his impressive basketball skills. He’s found a way to turn his talent into a lasting financial legacy. We think it’s cool how he’s been able to build his brand from scratch. You can tell he’s putting in the work off the court just as much as on it. His net worth should only continue to grow.