Many concluded quite some time ago that Ja Morant needs a change of scenery, and according to a new report, the Memphis Grizzlies star came to that same conclusion many months ago.
Morant, who was selected second overall by Memphis in the 2019 NBA Draft, has had a tumultuous past few seasons playing for the Grizzlies, to put things mildly.
In 2023, he was suspended not once, but twice, for flashing a gun on Instagram Live on separate occasions just two months apart. Later that year, he was sued over an altercation he had during a pickup game with a 17-year-old in 2022 in which the NBA star confirmed he threw the first punch to “protect himself.”
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) looks to pass as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14). (Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images)
On top of the off-court issues, Morant has battled a slew of injuries and hasn’t played more than 50 regular-season games since the 2022-23 NBA season. The 26-year-old only appeared in 20 games for Memphis during the 2025-26 campaign.
The Ja Morant experience in Memphis – both with the franchise and the city – has been largely awful for multiple years at this point, and reportedly reached his tipping point earlier this season.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright, Morant let players around the NBA and some of his former coaches know that “he isn’t playing for Memphis anymore,” according to sources they spoke with. Morant is currently in the midst of a $197 million contract that runs through the 2027-28 season.
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies and LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the game on January 20, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
As for what exactly pushed Morant to the point where sources are telling reporters that he was letting folks around him know that he’s done with Memphis? Well, that’s where things get even more interesting, and petty.
According to the report, Morant still hasn’t gotten over the one-game team suspension he served in November. For those who haven’t checked a calendar recently, we’re in the month of April now.
Morant was suspended by the Grizzlies for one game for “conduct detrimental to the team.” It came after Morant and head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who was in his first full season as a head coach, had a bit of a clash following a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Morant shot 3-for-14 from the field during the loss, and reportedly had bigger issues with Iisalo’s substitution patterns than his own performance.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) celebrates with teammates in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The writing has long been on the wall that it is time for Morant and Memphis to split. Whether it be amicable or not, both parties involved need a complete reset.
The obvious yet rather tricky next step for the Grizzlies to make that reset happen is to find a suitor around the league for a player with a massive contract who has made a legitimate habit of not working.
