Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is frustrated, averaging a career-low 29.4 minutes per game and shooting just 39.3% from the field, including 13.9% from 3. The Grizzlies organization is frustrated, too, suspending Morant for a game over the weekend because of conduct detrimental to the team. What could happen now?<\/p>\n
Morant\u2019s suspension stemmed from a postgame exchange with coach Tuomas Iisalo after Friday\u2019s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Iisalo challenged Morant\u2019s leadership, sources told ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania, and Morant responded in a tone the franchise deemed inappropriate. Morant missed Memphis\u2019 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, then had 18 points and 10 assists on Monday against the Detroit Pistons. The Grizzlies fell again, though, dropping to 3-5 on the season. (Memphis lost its third straight game Wednesday against the Houston Rockets to fall to 3-6.)<\/p>\n
After Monday\u2019s loss to Detroit, in response to a question asking if Morant has his usual joy playing basketball, he said: \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morant, a two-time All-Star, played just 59 games over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons because of two suspensions for incidents with guns, along with various injuries. He is in the third year of the five-year, $197.2 million contract he signed in July 2022.<\/p>\n
Why is Morant so upset? Where do things stand with the Grizzlies? And what could a potential trade for Morant look like if Memphis makes him available? ESPN\u2019s reporters and analysts weigh in:<\/p>\n
What led to Morant\u2019s one-game suspension? What happened in that meeting?<\/p>\n
Iisalo addressed Morant\u2019s lack of effort and leadership in front of the team in the locker room after Friday\u2019s loss, and Morant responded in a tone Grizzlies\u2019 brass deemed dismissive and inappropriate.<\/p>\n
Morant followed that up with a 55-second media availability when, after being asked about his struggles in the game, he repeatedly muttered, \u201cGo ask the coaching staff.\u201d Morant also referenced that Iisalo had just delivered a \u201clittle spiel\u201d in the locker room that was critical of him.<\/p>\n
Criticism of Morant was merited after he moped through the motions in the second half of the game, exhibiting an alarming lack of effort and passion. One of Iisalo\u2019s core coaching philosophies is to address such issues in front of the entire team, as he discussed during a January appearance on \u201cX&O\u2019s Chat,\u201d a Europe-based basketball podcast.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can he change if I don\u2019t ever bring it up?\u201d Iisalo said on the podcast before pretending he was confronting a player. \u201cListen, you\u2019re holding us back. You can choose to behave in this way, and this means that you\u2019re just not very competitive. Because behaving in another way would allow us to win.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m turning it — yes, you\u2019re doing this. Everybody knows you\u2019re doing that. You\u2019re hurting all of us. You\u2019re not responsible to me. I\u2019m just telling you that this is how the other guys feel about you. So you can go ahead being an a–hole, OK, but everybody here knows it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re fine and you can live with it, then I can live with it as long as you bring the result. But if you don\u2019t bring the result, then your ass is cut.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, it\u2019s not always that simple in the NBA, especially with a face of the franchise on a nearly $40 million maximum salary. But Iisalo believes in the benefits of blunt, direct communication and is willing to deal with the blowback it might cause.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just tackled everything head on,\u201d Iisalo said, referring to his approach as a coach in Finland, Germany and France. \u201cWe started to say, let\u2019s just be brutally honest. What\u2019s the worst thing that can happen? Somebody\u2019s going to be upset for a few minutes, and we\u2019re going to win more basketball games. But it\u2019s such a human thing to avoid that, because of fear, because of \u2018What if they turn against you?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
— Tim MacMahon<\/p>\n
What are you hearing about Morant\u2019s relationship with the Grizzlies?<\/p>\n
The brass in Memphis prefers to handle the situation internally without any outside noise, but it\u2019s clear Morant harbors residual emotions regarding the situation that led to his one-game suspension.<\/p>\n
This comes after a summer in which the Grizzlies eagerly gave Jaren Jackson Jr. a maximum contract extension while deciding not to engage in discussions with Morant about extending his deal.<\/p>\n
Morant engaged in a somewhat tense exchange Monday with reporters after the Grizzlies lost their third consecutive game, during which he contributed 18 points on 5-of-16 shooting with 5 rebounds and 10 assists. Asked if he and the coaching staff had discussed Friday\u2019s incident and resolved the issues, Morant shot back, \u201cY\u2019all asked that question to them, huh? Y\u2019all asked that question, so y\u2019all know the answer to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked again whether the situation was resolved, Morant said, \u201cYeah, they told y\u2019all that, right? There you go. Obviously, they can\u2019t go and tell y\u2019all something I ain\u2019t say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morant was later asked whether he still feels the same joy playing basketball.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Morant then said, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d in response to a question about what can be done to restore the joy he has played with in the past. While the guard maintained his relationship with the organization remains solid, his body language and demeanor belied the words.<\/p>\n
Morant was asked whether he and the franchise maintain a good relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d he said. \u201cThey told y\u2019all that, right? If I didn\u2019t have a relationship, I wouldn\u2019t talk to them at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, it\u2019s clear that relations between Morant and the Grizzlies remain icy. It\u2019s worth noting that over the years, turnover has left Morant without a sounding board or anyone he can relate to on the coaching staff or within the front office.<\/p>\n
— Michael C. Wright<\/p>\n
What are the Grizzlies saying about the situation?<\/p>\n
Very little.<\/p>\n
General manager Zach Kleiman hasn\u2019t publicly uttered a word since Morant\u2019s suspension, allowing the franchise\u2019s one-sentence, matter-of-fact statement that the guard was suspended due to conduct detrimental to the team to stand on its own. Kleiman has consistently chosen his words carefully, or has avoided public comment altogether, when controversy has swirled around Morant over the years.<\/p>\n
Iisalo offered clipped responses to a series of questions from reporters before Morant\u2019s return Monday night, intentionally providing as little information as possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a discussion, and we\u2019re all looking to move forward and beat the Pistons,\u201d Iisalo said before the Grizzlies\u2019 114-106 home loss to Detroit.<\/p>\n
Pressed on Friday\u2019s postgame confrontation between the coach and star, Iisalo said, \u201cThat\u2019s an internal matter. Won\u2019t be discussing any details here.\u201d<\/p>\n
— MacMahon<\/p>\n
Has Morant been used differently this season?<\/p>\n
Morant adapted his offensive approach for a time last season, as assistant coach Noah LaRoche\u2019s more egalitarian system took hold in Memphis, but the firing of LaRoche and head coach Taylor Jenkins has allowed Morant to play on the ball a lot more. This season, he\u2019s averaging career highs in touches and dribbles per 100 possessions — he ranks second in the NBA, behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, in the latter category — and his touch time has increased by about 30% compared to last season, when it sat at a career low.<\/p>\n
That broader change correlates with a shift in play type. In the first five seasons of his career, Morant used a steady number of pick-and-rolls, between 46 and 50 per 100 possessions each season. Under the Grizzlies\u2019 short-lived offensive experiment last season, that number plummeted to 31 picks per 100 possessions, but it has shot up to a career-high 54 this season. Only Cade Cunningham and Trae Young are using picks more frequently than Morant in 2025-26.<\/p>\n
That reversion hasn\u2019t helped Morant return to his previous All-NBA level, though. In fact, 2025-26 represents the fourth straight season that Morant\u2019s player efficiency rating has declined, from a high of 24.4 in 2021-22 — when Morant won the Most Improved Player award and made second team All-NBA — to a career-low 16.5 this season. (The league average is 15.0.)<\/p>\n
Morant\u2019s scoring efficiency is a particular problem in the early going: Among 15 players with at least a 30% usage rate, Morant ranks 14th in true shooting percentage, ahead of only Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe. Only a 31% career 3-point shooter, Morant is at 14% (5-for-36) from distance this season as of Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
His decline coincides with broader struggles for the Grizzlies. Rookie wing Cedric Coward is a bright spot, averaging 15.3 points per game on 58% shooting (48% from distance), but amid a general lack of shooting and injuries to guards Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome and centers Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke, Memphis has faltered on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n
The Grizzlies rank 26th in offensive rating and 25th on defense, according to Cleaning the Glass, which strips out garbage time. The 1-6 Washington Wizards and 1-6 New Orleans Pelicans are the only other teams that rank so poorly in both stats.<\/p>\n
— Zach Kram<\/p>\n
How tradeable is Morant\u2019s contract? What could a potential return look like, and what teams could be involved in talks?<\/p>\n
Back in March 2023, Morant was suspended eight games for conduct detrimental to the league. Those eight games ended up playing a role in Morant missing out on All-NBA honors. He finished with the most votes of guards not selected which cost him $40 million in additional salary. If Morant had been selected, the five-year, $197 million rookie extension he signed in the 2022 offseason would have increased to $237 million.<\/p>\n
In the current landscape of aprons, this detail matters. Instead of having an onerous $47.3 million cap hit this season and $50.6 and $53.9 million the next two years, Morant is owed $39.5, $42.2 and $44.9 million.<\/p>\n
While Morant is in the prime of his career, has three years left on his contract (he is eligible to sign a three-year, $178 million extension next summer) and has a salary that ranks just 28th among all players, the market could be less advantageous if Memphis were to consider moving him.<\/p>\n
First, point guard is a position of strength with fewer teams in need. The teams that do have a vacancy, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns for example, do not have a first-round pick to trade in the next seven years. The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, have the draft capital, financial flexibility and contracts but adding Morant would hardly fit their rebuilding timeline.<\/p>\n
The Houston Rockets could make the most sense, especially considering Fred VanVleet\u2019s season-ending knee injury. But because of their first apron issues (they are currently $1.2 million below the threshold), Houston would need to trade VanVleet and a combination of Dorian Finney-Smith, Steven Adams and Clint Capela to make a deal for Morant work. Taking on Morant\u2019s max salary is prohibitive, especially with Tari Eason hitting restricted free agency and Amen Thompson\u2019s expected rookie extension next summer.<\/p>\n
Despite VanVleet\u2019s absence, Houston still ranks first in the league in offensive efficiency. The Rockets do, however, find themselves in the bottom 10 in assist to turnover ratio. As for what a possible return for Morant could look like, one team executive ESPN talked to pointed to the 2023 trade that sent Kyrie Irving from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks. In that deal, the Nets received Spencer Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, a 2029 unprotected first-round pick and two second-rounders.<\/p>\n
The main difference: Irving was 31 when he was traded and on an expiring contract. Morant is 26 and has two years left after this season.<\/p>\n
It is important to remember that unlike the Jimmy Butler III situation that unfolded last season, Morant has not asked to be traded, despite the one game suspension and the Grizzlies\u2019 struggles adapting to Iisalo\u2019s system.<\/p>\n
— Bobby Marks<\/p>\n
What should we be paying attention to over these next few weeks?<\/p>\n
Memphis hosts Dallas and Oklahoma City in its next two outings before hitting the road for matchups against the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs. That\u2019s a tough chunk of the Grizzlies\u2019 schedule, and throughout that period, perhaps Morant and the brass experience a breakthrough that solidifies the relationship. Things could just as easily go the other way.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth mentioning that Morant and Jackson are close, with the type of relationship where both teammates feel comfortable enough to express their true feelings to one another. It\u2019s likely the duo has already addressed this matter privately and are working behind the scenes to achieve the best possible outcome for the franchise and Morant.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Jackson expressed confidence in the team\u2019s ability to successfully navigate its recent struggles.<\/p>\n
\u201c[We need] just a lot more of the right things,\u201d Jackson told reporters. \u201cWhatever is going right in the game, a lot more of those good stretches, a lot more of just the right stuff. It\u2019s gonna take buy-in from everybody. But we\u2019re fully capable. We have all the tools and pieces. We have everything that we need to be successful. So, it\u2019s not something I\u2019m too worried about. But the urgency\u2019s got to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether everyone on the team had bought in, Jackson said, \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve always had buy-in from everybody,\u201d he added. \u201cWe\u2019re locked in, man, always locked in.\u201d<\/p>\n
— Wright<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is frustrated, averaging a career-low 29.4 minutes per game and shooting just 39.3%…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":265544,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,459,82,122485],"class_list":{"0":"post-265543","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-sports","12":"tag-tuomas-iisalo"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}