Ja Morant predicts Lakers & Warriors exiting early in 2024-25 Emirates NBA Cup

Ja Morant left the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors from coming out of their groups to enter the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup. On the Memphis Grizzlies Media Day, Morant was asked to make his pick for the NBA Cup knockout round from the Eastern and the Western Conference.

From the Western Conference, the Grizzlies star predicted the Sacramento Kings, OKC Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies to enter the next round. From the Eastern Conference, he predicted the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers would enter the knockout stage.

Even when he was asked about the two wildcard entries from the West and the East, he didn't mention either team. For the wildcard entry from the West, he predicted the New Orleans Pelicans and from the East, the New York Knicks.

Ja Morant made his pick before the season started. However, given how the Warriors have started the season, leaving them out of the race might not seem like the best prediction.

On the other hand, leaving the Lakers out of his pick seems quite obvious. The Grizzlies star has been very open about his dislike for the Lakers in the past. Even on October 6, when the Grizzlies defeated the Lakers, Morant said in the postgame interview that he didn't like them at all.

In the 2024-25 season, the Warriors are the third seed in the Western Conference with a 7-1 record. On the other hand, the Lakers are the 10th seed with a 4-4 record, behind the Grizzlies [5-4].

Ja Morant lets his feelings known about the Lakers

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies faced the Lakers for the first time this NBA season on November 6. This was also the first time that the healthy Grizzlies were facing the Lakers [in the last two seasons], who were playing without two of their starters. With tables turned compared to the last season, the Grizzlies blew out the Lakers with a massive 131-114 win.

Morant recalled when the Lakers embarrassed his team in front of his home crowd last season, while he watched from the sideline with an injury.

"I don't like them," Ja Morant said. "They knocked me out of the playoffs. And then last year, we had a game and they came here popping on our home floor when I was in street clothes."

Morant also reminded that the Lakers were laughing and talking to him while he was in "street clothes."

"The Lakers, actually… Beat us on our home floor. They were laughing, playing, looking at me, talking. My message was I was in street clothes."

Ja Morant and the Grizzlies will once again face the Lakers on November 13 at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles.