Nobody has more at stake than Ja Morant in Grizzlies-Lakers series | Giannotto

Ja Morant looked down at his shoes, at the pair of Ja 1s on his feet, because he had been asked for an update on when everyone else can get them.

They represent so much for him. They are what he created by mesmerizing us on the basketball court, and they were built on the reputation he’s suddenly fighting for in the courtroom. They inspired Nike to build him an igloo in the middle of Salt Lake City at the NBA All-Star game. That was only a couple months ago, but also more than a couple headlines ago.

So, in the midst of sidestepping questions about LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers and the lawsuit he’s embroiled in, Morant didn’t want to say the wrong thing.

Initial reports indicated the Ja 1s would be released to the public starting April 1. Now, there are indications they could be available by Wednesday. Nike didn't say anything official – until Friday. Neither did Morant. Sort of.

“We got playoffs, man. Round one,” he answered dismissively, only to then let slip just enough of a hint.

“Soon,” he added.

The entire exchange, under the backdrop of all those billable hours his attorneys are accumulating, underscored a truth to these NBA playoffs Morant isn't ready to publicly embrace just yet.

There’s nobody with more at stake than him when the Memphis Grizzlies begin their first-round series with the Lakers on Sunday at FedExForum (2 p.m., ABC).

It’s remarkable to be able to write that considering James is involved and how high-profile this matchup feels compared to the rest of the field. But the quest for James' fifth NBA championship, whether successful or not, is unlikely to alter his legacy. A first-round exit would hurt. It wouldn’t harm his place in history.

Same goes for Jaren Jackson Jr. and his opportunity to cement himself as one of the league’s best big men facing Anthony Davis. Or Dillon Brooks, the pending free agent with millions of dollars on his next contract that could be riding on how he performs as the villain opposite James for an entire series. Or Taylor Jenkins, the Grizzlies coach whose every decision will be examined under a microscope.

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Morant’s entire brand might be on the line this postseason.

It’s all spelled out in that countersuit his lawyers filed in the civil case involving Joshua Holloway, the Memphis area teenager Morant punched during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s Eads home last July.

He believes Holloway’s purported lies, and subsequent media coverage of Holloway's version of events, will cost him all-NBA honors and the nearly $40 million a subsequent supermax contract extension would bring him.

Never mind that this contention completely ignores that Morant’s boneheaded decision to film himself holding a gun on Instagram Live at a Denver strip club last month is what triggered an eight-game suspension. Or that he wasn’t a lock to make an all-NBA team before that happened.

It demonstrates how aware Morant is that the narrative shifted in recent months, as the details of his off-court missteps emerged.

This is a moment, a potentially defining one for him and this version of the Grizzlies. The Lakers probably don’t have anyone who can stay in front of Morant. He scored 28 points in one quarter the last time he played them. Do that over the course of a seven-game series, do that to knock out James and Anthony Davis, and those perceived sins will start to be forgotten.

That’s how our celebrity culture works. Yesterday’s fall from grace is tomorrow’s redemption arc.

Not long ago, Morant had carved out a place in the basketball world as the happy-go-lucky highlight reel who wowed fans, particularly the game’s youngest fans, with the NBA’s best dunks, an endearing backstory, and a growing portfolio that suggested he would soon become the face of the entire league.

Today, at the onset of the playoffs, his endorsements have stalled. His status among the NBA’s elite guards is being recalculated. His standing in the sport, his future and his confidence seem a little shaken. So many appeared ready to go all-in on Morant, and so many appear to be waiting for what happens next.

Including Morant, apparently.

Asked if he was back in midseason form, if he was back to the player he was before leaving the Grizzlies for a couple weeks to get his life in order, Morant would only say, “Somewhat.”

“There’s a lot that goes into that. If I tell you that, then the Lakers will know,” he said in explaining what that meant.

Morant didn’t want to say the wrong thing.

Two weeks from now, if he leads the Grizzlies past LeBron and the Lakers, the conversation could be completely different.

You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter: @mgiannotto

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Nobody has more at stake than Ja Morant in Grizzlies-Lakers series