Ja Morant‘s skepticism about the unique strategy favored by head coach Tuomas Iisalo was behind the locker room confrontation that led to a one-game suspension last week, Brian Windhorst of ESPN writes in a piece co-authored by Tim Bontemps.
Iisalo, who took over the team late last season when Taylor Jenkins was fired, had success in Europe by playing his lineups three to four minutes at a time and then making mass substitutions to keep everyone fresh and competing at a high energy level. That’s unusual in the NBA, where the bulk of minutes typically go to the best players, and sources tell Windhorst that Morant remains “skeptical” of the approach. Through eight games, he’s posting the lowest shooting percentages of his career at 38.3% from the floor and 14% from three-point range.
“His system is based on having an elite guard who has the ability to get his feet into the paint, and then all his strategy evolves from that. Morant should be a very good fit for it, (Iisalo) was surely excited about that when he got that job,” a European executive told Windhorst. “He is running his system there. But it is not creating the advantages that are expected yet.”
Even with the awkward fit, an immediate trade seems unlikely. Several sources around the league tell Bontemps that Morant is still viewed as a “borderline top-10” point guard, but there aren’t many teams that are looking for a starter at that position. Morant’s off-court issues and the Grizzlies‘ recent downturn haven’t lessened his popularity with Memphis fans, Bontemps notes, and he has stated several times that he enjoys playing in the city.
“He sells shoes, he sells tickets, and he wants to play in Memphis when no one wants to,” a Western Conference assistant coach told Bontemps. “So it makes for a really, really difficult situation.”
ESPN’s findings are consistent with a report this week from Marc Stein, who hears that the team is in no hurry to pursue a Morant trade. The Timberwolves and Kings are rumored to be among the most interested teams if that changes.
If the Grizzlies opt to trade Morant at some point this season, sources around the league are wondering if they might consider parting with Jaren Jackson Jr. as well, Bontemps adds. The team made a huge commitment to Jackson over the summer, maneuvering its roster to renegotiate and extend his contract, resulting in a new five-year deal worth $240MM.
That contract makes him more attractive to small-market teams, Bontemps points out, because they would have the security of knowing he’s signed through 2030. Bontemps compares it to the conditions that prompted Cleveland to deal for Donovan Mitchell and Minnesota to acquire Rudy Gobert.
Jackson has some holes in his game — his low rebounding numbers make it difficult to play him at center and he remains foul prone, averaging 4.4 per game this season — but his ability to space the floor and protect the rim would create a significant trade market if he ever becomes available.
“He’s a perfect complementary guy,” an Eastern Conference scout said, “and he can play just about anywhere.”
Parting with Morant and Jackson would signal a complete rebuild in Memphis, but Bontemps states that this might be the best time to do it with a loaded draft class looming in 2026. The Grizzlies already have two potential lottery picks and could add more draft capital by moving their two stars, giving them a fresh wave of young talent to add to Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward.
Grizz swiftly traded Dillon but won’t trade Ja. Interesting.
I believe Dillon was a free agent, and they chose to let him walk.
Morant’s behavior aside, this mass substitution thing has been tried before and I don’t think it works. You need your best guys to be able to get in a rhythm. This isn’t hockey changing lines.
Steve Kerr has literally ruined Curry’s prime by using this idiotic method. It doesn’t “keep guys fresh” it makes hot rotations who are destroying the other team go ice cold and they lose the game. GSW has blown dozens upon dozens of games after being up 15+ in this exact manner. Kill this idiotic tactic with fire. It does not work. Players will still get injured anyway. KD was right here.
You being facetious or just clueless again!? Kerr became the head coach of the Warriors in May 2014, and Curry won his first championship in June 2015.
Looks like this substitution pattern is a huge success so far in US. Imagine if Mike Brown tried this in New York, Sorry Jalen, you are only going to play 28 minutes in 7 four minute shifts, what would be the fan and national media response to that! As many issues as Ja has had, I can’t fault him for not being on board with this. Memphis going to have to decide on keeping the coach and embarking on a full rebuild or quickly ending the experiment and trying to salvage the season.
KD literally blocked a trade to GSW because he knew Kerr was only going to play him 30-32 MPG.
Every GSW loss where they had been leading by 15+ has been due to this exact tactic. It’s infuriating. I am more on Ja Morant’s side now more than ever before. Establishing a rhythm is massive in this league and you can’t do that off the court.
If Kerr played like, any player, 40+ mins, the Warriors would win 70 a year. He lost vs the Kings because he refused to run the rookie Richard for the entire game when he was on fire the entire game. Why sit guys who are on fire for guys who are ice cold? Worst tactic of all time.
Brooks and Bane are gone. That’s two pieces of that really good team that won 50+ games. But the real difference is the attitude of Morant. Hes stuck between two worlds. And needs to focus on basketball right now and rebuild himself as a defender and goos teammate
Good point, but NBA basketball is about establishing rhythm and this idiotic tactic blocks that from happening. Its replacing red hot players with ice cold ones…why? Sorry for the aggressive reply but this topic has infuriated me for the last 5 years.
Coach is more likely to be the first to go.
So who is gone first? Coach or Ja? Will Ja play down to his abilities to get the coach fired? Lots of questions…