Demarcus Cousins shares thoughts on Ja Morant's NBA return with the Grizzlies

Ja Morant will finally make his debut for the Memphis Grizzlies against the New Orleans Pelicans after a lengthy suspension.

Ja Morant will be making his long-awaited debut for the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizzlies are in desperate need of Morant's assistance, especially given their struggles in the 2023-24 season thus far.

However, Morant's return won't be a walk in the park. All eyes will be on him following his extended suspension due to multiple public incidents involving a gun over the past year.

NBA star DeMarcus Cousins offered his insights into what might be going through the mind of the 2022 NBA Most Improved Player as he prepares to return to the court. He believes that Morant's journey is all part of his growth as he navigates through life and learns from his mistakes.

"It's a challenging situation, and it's a heavy burden for an individual. Nobody is exempt from experiencing growing pains in life. Ja Morant is just another person going through growing pains. The difference is that his life is like a fishbowl, with everyone watching this one fish. So as he goes through his growing pains, he gets criticized for every step he takes, whether right or wrong," Cousins shared during his appearance on Bully Ball with Rachel Nichols.

Furthermore, the veteran big man, who is set to play for the Taiwan Beer Leopards, believes that Morant is still in the process of maturing, which includes making mistakes and learning from them.

"He is a young man growing up; he is figuring life out, he made some mistakes. He's admitted to those mistakes. Now is the time he gets the opportunity to [sic] those mistakes," the 33-year-old added.

Morant has taken responsibility for the Grizzlies' poor start to the season, acknowledging that his off-court decisions have played a role in their 6-19 record. He has owned up to his mistakes, even those that are not public, and understands the impact they have had on his family.

Despite this, there is still time for Memphis to turn things around and make it to the play-in phase. Cousins is confident that Morant and the Grizzlies still have a shot, and any team facing them at that stage should be wary.

"They are only five games out. They have a great chance of making the play-in. If I'm the first or second seed and I have to play this team in the first round, I'm worried. This is a team that can defeat any opponent on any given night when they are at full strength," the four-time All-Star center emphasized.

In other news, the Clippers have secured their eighth consecutive victory and are starting to make an impact in the Western Conference.