Ja Morant has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. One of them was his underwhelming performance against the Lakers. The home loss meant the Grizzlies fell to 3-3 for the season. Surprisingly, though, the game was initially within their reach after they had a 42-point quarter. But it all went in vain. After the defeat, Morant seemed quite upset, letting that pour into his chat with the media, which now appears to have handed him a one-game suspension.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The tensions reached a breaking point because Shams Charania reported, “Suspension comes as a result of Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo challenging Morant’s leadership and effort in a postgame exchange after loss to the Lakers on Friday night — to which Morant responded in a tone deemed inappropriate, sources said.”
Suspension comes as a result of Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo challenging Morant’s leadership and effort in a postgame exchange after loss to the Lakers on Friday night — to which Morant responded in a tone deemed inappropriate, sources said. https://t.co/N31fGXkabw
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 1, 2025
Ja Morant struggled for the most part during the game, scoring only eight points on 3-of-14 shooting. Even though he played the most minutes (8) in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies ace seemed rather disinterested, even walking a few steps away from the bench area during a timeout.
He responded with short answers after the game, telling the reporters to “go ask them,” referring to the coaching staff. He even remarked, “According to them, probably don’t play me, honestly. That’s basically what the message was, after. It’s cool.”
According to reporter Bobby Marks, “The Ja Morant 1 game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team will cost the guard $272,042 (1/145 of his $39,446,090 salary).”
Morant was drafted second overall by the Grizzlies in 2019. He remains under a lucrative five-year, $197.2 million contract extension that he signed in July 2022. That fully guaranteed deal runs through the 2027-28 season. Naturally, for the Grizzlies, making any drastic financial move would be impractical. Still, if the current discord between Morant and the staff lingers, they could soon be at a crossroads. Potential suitors include the Rockets, Kings, and Heat, all of which require an all-NBA level boost in their offense.
For now, though, the Grizzlies have released an official statement: “The Memphis Grizzlies have suspended Ja Morant for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.” That was a relatively short statement. However, head coach Tuomas Iisalo was not the only one disappointed with Ja Morant.
Blake Griffin publicly calls out Ja Morant’s perceived lack of interest on the courtThe fallout from the Grizzlies’ loss to the Lakers has taken on a life of its own, now, with NBA veteran Blake Griffin publicly criticizing Ja Morant. “I didn’t love what I saw from Ja Morant tonight.” While analyzing a few clips from the game, he showcased how the Grizzlies ace looked disengaged, “kind of just standing in the corner, straight up. Not even really engaged at all, almost having a conversation with Marcus Smart.” But Griffin did not stop there.
Imago
The analyst started questioning Ja Morant’s leadership and focus: “For a guy that’s making almost $40 million and needs to be the leader of this team, I just don’t love it. I don’t know if he’s not feeling well, if he’s hurt, but that to me is a very bad sign. It has to change.”
The NBA star was expected to take the reins and lead the Grizzlies into this new season. But Griffin seemingly burst that bubble with a warning: “The Memphis Grizzlies will only go as far as Ja Morant takes them.” After limited appearances in the past two seasons, because of injuries and suspensions for off-court reasons, Morant now faces new challenges: a) regaining his form and b) restoring trust within his own fractured locker room.
The Grizzlies next face the Raptors tomorrow, November 2nd, in Toronto, a game that the Memphis side’s ace will only be able to observe from afar.
