The Memphis Grizzlies saw one of their players arrested on Wednesday, and to their relief, it was not Ja Morant.
While the rest of the NBA prepared for the postseason, Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke was booked into a Cross County jail on serious criminal charges.
He was booked on charges of trafficking a controlled substance, possession, and fleeing. For an NBA player who has made tens of millions of dollars, getting caught up in a high-speed chase in rural Arkansas with enough drugs in the car to warrant a trafficking charge is a staggering failure of judgment.
Just last week, the Grizzlies ruled Clarke out for the rest of the season so he could focus on recovering from a series of leg injuries.
Instead of rehabbing, he landed in jail in a neighboring state.
It is the latest sign of a franchise with an accountability problem.
From the gun incidents to this felony arrest, the Grizzlies keep finding themselves in the same position, proving they are still a team incapable of building a championship culture.
READ: Ja Morant Gets Testy With Teammate, Personnel Steps In To Separate Grizzlies Star
Grizz coach Tuomas Iisalo offered a standard “no comment” before Wednesday night’s game against the Knicks, but the organization can no longer hide behind platitudes.
The NBA likes to market itself as a league built on professional standards, yet the Grizzlies have become a revolving door for legal trouble.
As the facts come out, the pressure will mount not just on Clarke, but on a front office that appears to have lost control of its players.
Send us your thoughts: [email protected] / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela