Jaren Jackson Jr. Drops 'Game of Thrones' Reference About Ja Morant amid Trade Rumors
Jaren Jackson Jr. invoked Game of Thrones in light of the Memphis Grizzlies' recent hot stretch.
Speaking to The Athletic's Sam Amick about this season so far, Jackson dropped the line "winter is coming" when asked if he could see the Grizzlies becoming a playoff contender in the Western Conference.
"The vision is there," Jackson said. "The vision is there. Winter is coming."
Memphis is in a fascinating position right now. Ja Morant was suspended by the organization for one game for conduct detrimental to the team for his comments criticizing the coaching staff after an Oct. 31 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Those comments and subsequent suspension led to speculation that Morant could be a trade candidate.
ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported on Nov. 21 people within the league expect the Grizzlies to explore trades involving the two-time All-Star, but the belief is "it will be difficult to get value for him."
There has also been speculation that opposing teams are waiting to see if Jackson, who signed a five-year, $240 million extension over the summer, could potentially become available if the Grizzlies decide to go all-in on a rebuild during the season.
Morant has not played since Nov. 15 due to a calf strain. He has only played in 12 of 21 games for the Grizzlies so far this season.
Jackson's assessment that winter is coming is technically accurate since the first day of winter is Dec. 21, but its context within the Game of Thrones is not often associated with positive vibes.
In fact, Ned Stark famously says "winter is coming" early in the first season to serve as a warning that hard times could be on the way. If you watched the show or read the books, you know that was an accurate assessment of what happened to House Stark.
The line coming from Jackson could be interpreted as a warning to the rest of the Western Conference. Memphis is 5-2 in its last seven games with Morant sidelined, including a current three-game winning streak, and has climbed up to ninth in the West going into Tuesday's matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.
