In a game marked by 14 ties and 21 lead changes, Ja Morant left his mark. He not only filled the box score but made sure the entertainment quotient was up, even if that meant getting a technical for it. Hawks center Mouhamed Gueye did not back down either, and the bench had to be involved to clear the scuffle.

In the second quarter, the scores were tied 41-41 when Morant got into a heated exchange with Gueye after a missed layup. It resulted in a battle for the ball on the floor, initially called a jump ball. That’s when the Grizzlies guard allegedly yelled at the official, pleading his case, “He tried to f— me, head first, come on ref!” Then Gueye walked away, but Morant shoved him from behind.

Naturally, the 6’11″center wasn’t backing down and seemingly screamed at Morant, “Ay come here soft pu—, think you from the streets?” Coaches came off the benches to break up the scrum, and Morant walked away smiling. After a review, both players got technicals. Morant then won the jump ball against Gueye, got matched up on him, and drove to the basket. Gueye fouled him and sent Morant to the line.

In the post-game press conference, the 2x All-Star also offered his insight if that issue with Gueye was serious.

“Nah, I just felt like I was kind of in a mini little headlock. And guys just be talking sometimes. I ain’t mind. Like, I still have to see him every time. If it was something that serious, he would’ve did something again at the jump ball, probably would’ve come in the locker room or something. I don’t be worried about it,” Morant stated.

It was the Memphis Grizzlies star’s second start game after missing the previous six with a bruise on his right calf. His effort throughout the night was visible.

He had a great chase-down block on Dyson Daniels’ fastbreak dunk attempt in the third quarter. The effort was there again when he converted a steal to a dunk with just 1:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Ja Morant ended the night with 23 points, 12 assists, three blocks, two rebounds, and one steal in only 30 minutes of action. The 26-year-old also had the chance to win the game with a three-pointer, but missed that shot as the Hawks won 124-122.

However, he was not afraid to take responsibility. “Me in the open floor is kind of where I excel. That’s just tough. But other than that, it’s just feel of the game. It’s what we wanted, it didn’t turn out how we wanted. We can’t be mad at ourselves for that.”

Ja Morant talks loyalty amid trade rumors

Morant has recently been caught up in trade speculation, with reports indicating the Grizzlies may be open to moving on from the guard. After the game, the questions about a possible trade obviously came up. “I’m sorry, y’all, that [I] wasn’t able to come to London, but I’m done with those questions,” said Morant. The answer that he gave in London after the game against the Magic was about him proving his loyalty.

“Anybody in here who knows me — I’m a very loyal guy, I’ve got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be.” The point guard referred to the tattoo he has of the team logo. He is midway through a five-year deal valued at $197M. For the 2025-26 season, his salary checks in at $39.4M. Despite being loyal and now being healthy, the trade chatter around the 26-year-old is not positive.

Speaking on ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast, Tim Bontemps said league-wide interest in Morant has been “very limited.” Meanwhile, Tim MacMahon noted that moving Morant would be an “extremely unpopular” decision within Memphis.

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