Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been in the news for the wrong reasons lately. After returning from injury, he was bringing playmaking back to Memphis’ lineup. Despite his efforts, the Grizzlies fell short in their recent matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 1st. However, the Grizzlies seem to have a fallout, and following that defeat, tensions reached a breaking point.

According to Shams Charania, the Grizzlies suspended Morant for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. The decision has reportedly stemmed from a postgame exchange. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo apparently challenged Morant’s leadership and effort. As Shams Charania puts it, “Suspension comes as a result of Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo challenging Morant’s leadership and effort in a postgame exchange after loss to the Lakers on Friday night — to which Morant responded in a tone deemed inappropriate, sources said.”

In the aftermath of the 117-112 loss on November 1 to the Lakers, Ja Morant struggled for the most part. He scored only eight points on 3-of-14 shooting. The team’s effort waned under new coach Tuomas Iisalo. He has joined after Taylor Jenkins faced a sudden firing last season.

Morant was visibly frustrated following the defeat. Even during press briefings after the game, he responded with short answers, saying reporters should “go ask the coaching staff.” The fallout was clear. He even remarked, “According to them, probably don’t play me, honestly. That’s basically what the message was after.” Could this be a result of some locker room tension? The previous HC had to go through the same accusations of locker room fallouts. It is not clear what the misconduct was from Morant, however, the consequences are grim for him as well as the team.

According to Bobby Marks, “The Ja Morant 1 game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team will cost the guard $272,042 (1/145 of his $39,446,090 salary).”

Morant was drafted second overall by the Grizzlies in 2019. He remains under a lucrative five-year, $197.2 million contract extension that he signed in July 2022. That deal lets him run through the 2027-28 season. This is a fully guaranteed deal. Naturally for the Grizzlies, making any immediate waiver or release is financially impractical. Still, if the current discord between Morant and the coaching staff lingers, Memphis could soon face a crossroads. For now, the Grizzlies have released an official statement, “The Memphis Grizzlies have suspended Ja Morant for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.” That was a rather short statement. However Lisalo was not the only one disappointed in Ja Morant.

Blake Griffin calls out Ja Morant’s lack of engagement

The fallout from the Grizzlies’ loss to the Lakers has taken on a life of its own. Now, with NBA veteran Blake Griffin publicly criticizing Ja Morant’s effort. During Amazon Prime’s postgame broadcast, Griffin bluntly said, “I didn’t love what I saw from Ja Morant tonight.” The former Clippers star pointed to several plays where Morant appeared. According to him, Morant looked disengaged from the game “kind of just standing in the corner, straight up. Not even really engaged at all, almost having a conversation with Marcus Smart.” But Griffin did not stop there.

Griffin started questioning Morant’s leadership and focus: “For a guy that’s making almost $40 million and needs to be the leader of this team, I just don’t love it. I don’t know if he’s hurt, but that to me is a very bad sign. It has to change.” Well the numbers are evidently showing a consecutive fall in his average. In six games he is averaging 28.5 minutes, a career low for him.

Morant was supposed to take forward the command and lead the Grizzlies in this new season. But Griffin seemingly burst that bubble, with a warning: “The Memphis Grizzlies will only go as far as Ja Morant takes them.” After limited appearances in the past two seasons, due to injuries, Morant now faces new challenges. And that of regaining his form. On top of that he has to work towards restoring trust within his own fractured locker room.

Memphis next faces the Raptors tomorrow, November 2nd, in Toronto, a match that the star of the team will only be to observe from a far.