Ja Morant's Drama Draws Comparison to James Harden's Exit with Rockets

The Memphis Grizzlies have been the latest example of just how mightily things can change in the NBA. Granted, there have been many examples throughout the history of the league, but their situation is unfolding as we speak.

Just three years ago they were the second best team in the Western Conference, winning 50 games -- a feat they pulled off in consecutive seasons. Now, they're in the doldrums of the Western Conference.

Just three years ago, they had one of the most exciting, up-and-coming young teams, now they've undergone a bit of a rebuild, parting with Desmond Bane and firing Taylor Jenkins -- the architect of their turnaround -- all within the last 12 months.

The Grizzlies had one of the most exhilarating, breath-taking superstars in the league in Ja Morant, to the extent that basketball observers pinpointed their postseason defeat to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals on Morant being injured.

Morant is still in Memphis, but he's likely headed out the door for greener pastures, as he's essentially leaving the franchise with no other option but to trade him.

Now, I know what you're thinking. What does this have to do with the Houston Rockets?

Great question.

Well, the Rockets dealt with something similar when James Harden had decided that he, too, wanted greener pastures in 2021.

Like Morant, Harden butted heads with the Rockets' new, young coach in Stephen Silas, after Mike D'Antoni was no longer in the fold.

Like Morant, Harden voiced his displeasure with the state of the franchise publicly, utilizing pregame and post-game presses with the media to make it known that he felt it was time for a new setting.

Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports, who was the beat writer for the Houston Rockets during the brunt of Harden's Rockets career, couldn't help but note the similarities between Morant's current behavior and Harden's during his final season in Houston.

"Morant just seems disconnected right now. There was a similar vibe to James Harden’s final days in Houston during the 2020-21 season, when short, monotone answers became more frequent."

Again, this is typically the type of behavior superstars resort to when they want out. Which makes sense, because their teams don't want to part with them.

The NBA is a star-driven league. If you have a superstar, you typically want to hold on to them.

Especially if they're young (Morant just turned 26-years-old).

Players know that, so they try to make things as ugly as possible, to the point that the franchise doesn't want to deal with their histrionics any longer.

And it almost always works. It's certainly always worked for Harden, who followed a similar path when he was ready to part from the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.

Morant is following suit, in his own way.