Ja Morant splurging $3,600,000 for good cause earns rare praise from Michael Jordan’s former teammate Etan Thomas

For years, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been all over the news. Whether it's because of his stellar play and poster dunks or his issues off the court, Morant has been a regular presence in the headlines.

Nevertheless, there has been little to no coverage of his recent philanthropy move. Apparently, the former No. 2 pick spent $3.6 million to transform houses into shelters for homeless youth in Tennessee.

Notably, that's why former Washington Wizards big man and Michael Jordan's former teammate Etan Thomas made sure to spread the news, posting the report on his Instagram account and encouraging people to give Morant his flowers.

"Let's focus on the positive things about Ja Morant," Thomas wrote.

Morant has drawn plenty of backlash for his gun-related incidents and celebrations, and he's also been suspended and fined multiple times because of that.

Ja Morant's future with the Grizzlies is in question

The Grizzlies shockingly parted ways with coach Taylor Jenkins shortly before the end of the season.

It was far from ideal for a team that was the second seed in the West at one point in the campaign, especially with the postseason just around the corner. That's why it wasn't a surprise to see them lose in just four games to the OKC Thunder.

Morant missed the final two games of the series with an injury, and given how things fared in Memphis, Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports that he could be up for grabs in the summer.

“There's a lot of ‘whispering and rumbling’ around the league regarding Morant potentially being available on the trade market," McMahon said.

Nevertheless, McMahon also revealed that Morant's reputation around league executives has taken a big hit, and he's no longer seen as the potential building block and superstar in the making he was considered not so long ago.

"When I'm talking to people around the league, GMs, execs, scouts, I don't have people telling me that they think Ja is a top-10 player when he's healthy anymore," he continued.

Morant helped the Grizzlies stay relevant and competitive after the Grit-and-Grind era, so even if his trade value isn't as high as it once was, there should still be plenty of suitors for his services.