Windhorst: Ja Morant's New Max Contract with Grizzlies Doesn't Have 5th-Year Option

Ja Morant is committed to the Memphis Grizzlies for the next six seasons.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Morant's new supermax contract does not feature a fifth-year player option, meaning he is locked in through the 2027-28 season. Players regularly request and receive player options on even supermax contracts to gain maximum flexibility and leverage.

Forgoing the option is a token—albeit a small one in the player empowerment era—of Morant's commitment to Memphis.

In three short years, Morant has become one of the greatest players in Grizzlies history. He was named the NBA's Most Improved Player last season, averaging 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds while earning a second-team All-NBA selection.

Memphis finished as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the Golden State Warriors. Morant missed the last three games of the series with a knee injury.

The Grizzlies have Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. under contract for the foreseeable future. Jackson's salary decreases as his four-year, $104.7 million contract progresses, which should give Memphis enough relief to stay under the luxury tax once Morant's deal kicks in.

Guard Desmond Bane will be eligible for an extension next offseason that will further stretch the Grizzlies' purse strings.