Ja Morant in trouble again: Why did the Grizzlies guard get suspended last weekend?

The 2025/26 season has not got off to a promising start for the Memphis Grizzlies. The team sits 13th in the Western Conference, with a 3-6 record, and the head coach is involved in a public stand-off with the star player.

Last week point guard Ja Morant was hit with the one-game team suspension for comments critical of head coach Tuomas Iisalo. Morant is a two-time All-Star and the team’s best-paid player but he has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent years.

Why did the Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant?

The most recent of Morant’s bans stems from last Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. ESPN reports that Iisalo questioned Morant’s on-court leadership after the game and Morant responded “in a tone the franchise deemed inappropriate.”

“We had a discussion, and we’re all looking to move forward and beat the Pistons,” Iisalo said of the incident. “That’s an internal matter. Won’t be discussing any details here.”

Morant was subsequently hit with a ban and missed Sunday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors. He was restored to the team for Monday’s match-up with the Detroit Pistons but, after another defeat, Morant made some pointed remarks in the postgame press availability.

He told reporters that he was not enjoying his basketball and made a number of references to the coaching staff. When asked what the team could do to improve, Morant replied: “According to [the coaching staff], probably don’t play me, honestly. That’s what basically the message was after. It’s cool.”

If the situation cannot be resolved, the Grizzlies may have to start looking to move on a player who was heralded as a centerpiece for years to come. He is currently in the third year of the five-year, $197.2 million contract signed with the team in July 2022. His current deal makes him the 28th-best-paid player in the league, although he is eligible for a three-year, $178 million extension next summer.

Still only 26 years old, there would likely be significant interest in a player of Morant’s talent, although there are a limited number of teams looking for a new starting point guard. The next few weeks could be the most crucial of Morant’s seven years in Memphis, with his future now a genuine topic of discussion.

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