The Ja Morant drama is heating up.
As the Memphis Grizzlies saw their franchise star return to the lineup on Monday night after a one-game suspension, Morant had a simple answer to a question about what his joy level is playing basketball in Memphis right now.
Spoiler alert: there isn’t any.
“Do you feel like you’ve got the same joy right now that we’re used to seeing from you?” One reporter asked Morant following Monday’s game against the Detroit Pistons.
“No,” Morant said. When the answer was followed up with “why not” and “what can it be done to get it back?” Morant shrugged and said, “We’ll see.”
Ja Morant says he lost his joy 😳
(🎥 @Matt_Infield) pic.twitter.com/JR2sfnhVop
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 4, 2025
The worst-kept secret in the NBA is that teams are monitoring the situation out in Memphis. Morant is a multi-time All-Star who would generate a competitive market if the Grizzlies get serious about trading him. The Miami Heat, known star hunters, were recently suggested to go after Morant by some fans and a former player.
Could that scenario actually get spoken into existence? Back in June, FanDuelTV’s ‘Run It Back’ co-host and former NBA player Chandler Parsons addressed a potential Miami-Morant pairing. The player-turned-analyst’s skepticism then is even more relevant now.
How could you forget? The way the Morant situation is currently playing out is very similar to Butler’s final season in Miami. The veteran star was criticized for a lackluster effort, which led him to publicly make comments that led to a suspension. There was no joy out of Butler, and it was evident. It took some time, but eventually, a trade got done.
“Miami says no [to a hypothetical trade]—there’s no way if Pat Riley doesn’t want to deal with Jimmy Butler, he’s going to deal with Ja Morant,” Pasons said over the offseason. “There’s no chance. I can’t see it. I would say no if I’m Miami. Ja Morant hasn’t shown he can stay on the court. Is he must-see TV? Is he an elite player when he’s on the court? Yes, but he’s been too inconsistent for me. Again, if Pat Riley’s having issues with Jimmy’s antics, I can’t imagine him dealing with Ja Morant.”
“There’s no way if Pat Riley doesn’t want to deal with Jimmy Butler, he’s gonna deal with Ja Morant.” 👀@ChandlerParsons says though Ja would certainly give the Heat a talent boost, it’s no chance Pat Riley takes a swing on the young superstar given his off court history. pic.twitter.com/oe0UnR5CY9
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) June 17, 2025
Fast forward roughly five months, and Morant just returned from an injury to a struggling Grizzlies team, where he’s growing frustrated to the point where the NBA world is questioning his future.
Does this mean the Miami Heat would be all the way out on Morant? Not exactly. But Parsons certainly had a point then, and it just might hold up now.
Want to read more about the daily ripple effects of the NBA? Make sure you bookmark Fastbreak on SI for the top hoops stories of the day from a league-wide scope.
The Latest on Fastbreak on SI