Ja Morant warned about losing ‘Hollywood privilege’ over public hate for Lakers

Ja Morant’s rivalry with the Lakers intensifies as Gilbert Arenas urges Morant to keep an open mind about a future in Los Angeles.

Ja Morant warned about losing ‘Hollywood privilege’ over public hate for Lakers

Ja Morant

One thing fans love is that Ja Morant has never shied away from speaking his mind, especially when it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers. Following a recent victory over the Lakers, the Memphis Grizzlies star openly expressed his disdain for the team.

In response to Morant’s comments, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas weighed in, as he advised Ja Morant to keep an open mind about the Lakers. Arenas suggested that the young Grizzlies star should not completely rule out the possibility of joining the Lakers in the future.

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Whoever you don’t want in the crowd, we will do that for you. So don’t just hate the Lakers as hate. You don’t like them right now. Just keep your options open, is all I’m saying.

Gilbert Arenas said on the Gil’s Arena’s show

To fans, the idea of Morant wearing a Lakers jersey might seem far-fetched. Arenas’ comments have sparked an interesting “what if” scenario. Fans in Los Angeles would likely embrace Morant’s electrifying presence, and without a doubt, his jerseys would be an instant hit with the Lakers’ fanbase.

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However, any potential move to the Lakers would have to wait until the team’s current era, defined by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, has come to an end. When the time comes for the Lakers to transition to a new generation, Morant could be a fitting star to lead the franchise.

Ja Morant’s heated rivalry with the Lakers sparks on-court tension

Ja Morant has continued to add intensity to his rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers. During a recent matchup, tensions flared when he scored on Gabe Vincent and taunted him with a “too small” gesture, only for LeBron James to respond in kind after he scored on Morant later.

After Memphis then claimed a 131-114 victory, Morant candidly shared that he doesn’t like the Lakers, and referenced their past matchups and the Grizzlies’ defeat in the 2023 playoffs. Despite the win, it wasn’t Morant’s best performance, as he struggled with shooting consistency, and went 7-of-17 from the field and turned the ball over five times.

I don’t like ‘em. They knocked me out the playoffs. And then last year we had a game and they came in here and popped it on our home floor when I was in street clothes. I wasn’t tonight.

Ja Morant said about the Lakers
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His scoring totaled 20 points, but he played only 24 minutes before he left the game in the second half due to a hamstring issue. The clash with the Lakers, however, once again showcased the fiery rivalry that brewed between him and the Purple and Gold.