Losing the first group stage game of the NBA Cup and dropping down to a 3-3 record is not fun. But Ja Morant’s reaction has social media divided on whether he should’ve said what he said. The Grizzlies lost to the Lakers 112-117, despite being significantly shorthanded and even losing Deandre Ayton mid-game, and yet Luka Doncic set a new record. So he was pointing fingers at the shotcallers on the sidelines. Over at the cushy Amazon Prime studio, Blake Griffin redirected the blame back at Ja Morant.

After that game, Morant was visibly curt. He blamed Tuomas Lisola and his staff for it. The NBA on Prime guys, Blake Griffin in particular, called out his lack of engagement brutally. “I didn’t love what I saw from Ja Morant tonight.” That was the Clippers legend’s harsh assessment.

Prime’s cutting edge graphics and tech (the kind that’s become popular in the NFL side) in the replay supported Griffin’s take. Despite being “insanely talented,” Blake pointed out at least three plays of Morant looking disengaged from the game.”That’s just not what’s going to get it done for Memphis… Kind of just standing in the corner, straight up. Not even really engaged at all, almost having a conversation with Marcus Smart.”

In the 31 minutes Ja Morant played, he scored 8 points, grabbed 1 rebound, and dished out 7 assists. He shot 3-for-14 overall and 0-for-5 from three-point range, resulting in a dismal true shooting percentage of 26.9%. The Grizzlies squandered a 14-point halftime lead, as the Lakers extended their advantage in the second half.

Ja Morant is now 5-for-32 from three-point range this season, following a 0-for-6 performance against the Lakers. The Grizzlies held a 15-point halftime lead, but head coach Tuomas Iisalo’s questionable playing rotations contributed to their eventual decline.

Too bad Griffin didn’t break out his uncanny Shaq impression when he pretty much paraphrased the big guy. “Like 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 just not feeling well, if he’s hurt, but that to me is a very bad sign. And it’s something that needs to… it has to change.”

The Grizzlies have had several injuries and made a few hardship signings. Notably, losing Desmond Bane this offseason depletes them of leadership, along with All-NBA level talent, someone who was arguably their best perimeter shooter. Yet there was a sense of confidence in Ja Morant. His performance tonight was concerning.

Blake Griffin has a warning for Ja Morant

“Memphis Grizzlies will only go as far as Ja Morant takes them.” That’s Blake Griffin’s ominous but true statement. When Ja Morant was injured (or suspended), the Grizzlies were affected. But it’s not as stark as today, when Morant was on the floor for half the game and didn’t contribute the way he usually does.

When asked about it later, Morant said, “Go ask the coaching staff.” When he was questioned about what could’ve been done differently, he said, “According to them, probably don’t play me, honestly.… That’s basically what the message was. It’s cool.” It indicated something along those lines was said, or he interpreted it that way in the locker room.

And for someone once touted as the potential “Face of the NBA,” playing just nine games in 2023–24- limited by a 25-game suspension and a season-ending shoulder injury- and only 50 games in 2024–25 simply isn’t enough. Across those two seasons, he’s missed time with an array of ailments: back, shoulder, knee, ankle, foot, hamstring, and hip- and never completed a full playoff run. That adds up to just 59 total appearances in two years.

Without consistent floor time or the chance to rebuild chemistry from their promising 2022–23 campaign, the Memphis Grizzlies have not only underperformed but have also faced a fractured locker room dynamic. For a player meant to be their heartbeat and tone-setter, that absence has been as costly culturally as it’s been competitively.

Either way, it’s a sign that tensions in the locker room spilled over. It’s not a new phenomenon. Blake Griffin was no stranger to locker room friction (allegedly with Chris Paul) during the Lob City era of the Clippers. However, that team didn’t progress further due to other issues.

Griffin has a different problem with Morant. “When he’s engaged, we’ve seen him, he’s unbelievable, he’s an all-world talent. But that type of effort right there, that’s the thing that we will call out.”

He even turned the argument on Udonis Haslem, who agreed with him, not surprisingly. As Griffin points out, UD and the Miami Heat don’t take too kindly to a lack of effort. (Look at how things went down with Jimmy Butler when he ‘disengaged’ and lost his joy.) Now it remains to be seen if Lisola will recalibrate with or without Ja Morant.