After serving a one-game suspension on Sunday for conduct detrimental to the team, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was back in action on Monday vs. Detroit. Morant registered a double-double, with 18 points and 10 assists, but turned the ball over five times and made just 5-of-16 shots from the floor in an eight-point loss to the Pistons.
Asked after the game if he feels as if the conflict that led to his suspension has been resolved (Twitter video link Matt Infield of WMC Action News 5), Morant replied, “Yeah, they (head coach Tuomas Iisalo) told y’all that, right? Obviously they can’t go and tell you something I didn’t say.”
Morant added that he feels like he has a good relationship with the franchise, telling reporters, “If I didn’t have a good relationship, I wouldn’t talk to them at all.” However, when asked if he’s playing with the same “joy” that he has in the past, the 26-year-old responded with a simple “no.”
What can be done to get that joy back? “We’ll see,” Morant said.
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Iisalo’s substitution patterns have resulted in Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. playing far less often together than usual so far this season. Entering Monday’s game, the duo was averaging just 14.6 minutes per game after averaging 21.4 in 2024/25. According to Marc J. Spears of ESPN (YouTube link), Morant isn’t the only Grizzlies star who hasn’t been thrilled with Iisalo’s rotation decisions. “I think Jaren, from what I hear, is equally as frustrated,” Spears said during an NBA Today segment.
- Memphis’s record dropped to 3-5 on Monday, but Jackson remains confident that the current group is capable of more than it has shown so far. “We have all the tools and pieces,” Jackson said (Twitter video link via Grind City Media). “We have everything we need to be successful. So it’s not something I’m too worried about, but the urgency’s got to be there.”
- A Rookie of the Year finalist in 2024/25, Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells is looking to avoid a sophomore slump — he’s off to a slow start, with his shooting percentages dropping from .425/.352/.822 last season to .352/.256/.643 through seven games this year. “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever missed this many shots in my life, but I’m going to keep shooting it,” Wells said on Monday, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). “I know how many shots I put in every day.”
- In case you missed it, we published a separate round-up of Grizzlies notes on Monday evening.
Ja:
“I’m still pouting”
I guess nobody told him he isnt good enough to act this way…
Coward needs to start
Sounds like if Morant wants out…
What can be done to get that joy back? “We’ll see,” Morant said.
Joy or no joy. You have the responsibility to the franchise and game. Something it seems you just don’t get. I would be shopping him if I’m the owner. Enough is enough lols.
It’s hard to trade a malcontent who can’t shoot that’s making as much $ as Ja is.