Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has shared his candid thoughts on the escalating situation between the Memphis Grizzlies and their franchise player, Ja Morant. Green did not hold back in his analysis, providing a stark perspective on what Morant’s recent actions could signal for his future in Memphis.

The conversation was sparked after Morant’s behavior following a 117-112 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on October 31. The Grizzlies point guard was visibly frustrated during his postgame media session, repeatedly deflecting questions about his performance with dismissive replies. The organization responded by suspending Morant for one game, citing conduct detrimental to the team. During that game, Morant recorded a season low eight points on 3 for 14 shooting while appearing disengaged on the court.

Draymond Green revealed he had noticed Morant’s lack of engagement even before the postgame comments became public. Speaking on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show, Green recounted a conversation with his teammate Steph Curry after their own game against the Grizzlies. “J’s comments initially was, you know, I don’t know, go ask the coaching staff when the media was asking him about his performance, you know, and he said something along the lines of if it was up to them, maybe I wouldn’t play or something along those lines. And when I saw that, when I saw his comments, I found those interesting, but all they did was confirm to me what I was watching. Uh when we we got on that plane, I was telling Steph like, ‘Man, J ain’t in it at all.'” Green described the entire situation as looking like a “quiet protest” by the Grizzlies star.

The Warriors veteran also questioned the effectiveness of the team’s decision to suspend Morant. Green shared his personal viewpoint on disciplinary actions against top players based on his own experiences. “What I will say is this. I am not a big fan of suspending your top guys as as one as a guy who’s been suspended through the years. I don’t think it does much of anything outside of piss the guys off.” This perspective adds context to the potential impact of the Grizzlies’ internal discipline on their relationship with Morant.

Green then connected Morant’s current demeanor to a larger organizational issue, specifically the firing of former head coach Taylor Jenkins. He expressed his belief that Morant and teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. had a strong connection with the former coach. “When you looked at their team, Jiren Ja, those guys, I think they rocked with Taylor Jenkins. I truly in my heart believe that they rocked with Taylor Jenkins. So, at least that’s what it appeared as. And if that’s the case and you just up and fire him, you’re almost signaling signaling to J and possibly Jiren that you really don’t give a damn what they think about who’s coaching them. And so that right there would would definitely be the beginning of the end.” This led Green to pose the critical question of whether this series of events marks the start of Morant’s departure from Memphis.

The Grizzlies have indeed struggled to start the season, and Morant’s engagement level has been a topic of discussion despite his recent game winning shot against the Phoenix Suns. With Morant having now served his one game suspension, the team’s next matchup is at home against the Detroit Pistons. All eyes will be on how the star guard responds upon his return to the lineup and whether the apparent rift between player and organization can be mended.

This comes from Green at a time when Ja Morant trade rumors are surfacing on the web, about which let’s discuss further.

Ja Morant trade rumors gain traction

The Memphis Grizzlies’ decision to suspend Ja Morant for one game stemmed from a locker room incident involving head coach Tuomas Iisola, according to reports. ESPN insider Shams Charania noted that NBA teams are closely watching the evolving relationship between Morant and the Grizzlies following this disciplinary action.

However, any potential trade move faces significant hurdles. On The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps expressed skepticism about a strong trade market for Morant. “No, I don’t think there is one,” Bontemps said. “He’s just not that much of a difference-maker at the position.” Colleague Tim MacMahon reinforced this view, indicating that league conversations do not suggest robust interest.

Morant’s contract further complicates matters, as he has two seasons and over $87 million remaining on his deal. Before the suspension, he had appeared in all six games this season, averaging 20.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. His performance has shown a decline, with his field goal and three-point percentages dropping consistently since his peak. Notably, he is shooting just 15.6 percent from three-point range this season.

These on-court concerns are compounded by a history of off-court issues. Morant was previously suspended by the NBA for 25 games after flashing what appeared to be a firearm on social media for the second time. A video later emerged showing him with a toy gun, which he used to light candles in an attempt to demonstrate that it was not a real weapon. This incident followed a lawsuit from a teenager who alleged Morant assaulted him during a pickup game, though the suit was eventually dropped.

With the Grizzlies holding a 3-4 record to start the season, the organization must now weigh whether to continue building around Morant or focus on other young stars like Jaren Jackson Jr., despite the challenges in trading him.