Rival teams will monitor Memphis’ Ja Morant after ‘tense’ with head coach Tomas Isalo
The Memphis Grizzlies will take on the Toronto Raptors on the road on Sunday. Despite the Grizzlies’ best efforts, they lost 117-104 and dropped to 3-4 on the season.
Memphis was without All-Star point guard Ja Morant for that game. He was suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. Grizzlies head coach Thomas Isalo praised Morant’s leadership in front of the team and coaching staff following Friday’s loss to the Lakers. Morant was dismissive of this, and the coaching staff decided to suspend him for one game. NBA insider Shams Charania said rival teams will be keeping a close eye on Morant’s status with the Grizzlies after his relationship with the head coach became “strained.”
Will the Grizzlies listen to trade offers for Ja Morant?
The relationship between Ja Morant and head coach Tomas Isalo has reportedly been “strained” over the past few days, with teams around the league keeping an eye on Morant’s situation in Memphis. @ShamsCharania
(hour/ton @RealGM ) pic.twitter.com/ZAy0lG301x
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 3, 2025
The Grizzlies selected Ja Morant out of Murray State with the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Morant quickly made a name for himself in the NBA. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 and was named an All-Star for the first time in 2021-22. The 26-year-old was named a Memphis All-Star two years in a row. While Morant has had success on the court, some of his drama off the court has also become the focus of the NBA.
A few seasons ago, Morant went live on Instagram and was seen holding a gun in his hand. The league office suspended Morant for eight games. However, the young point guard was seen with a gun in his hand after his first suspension. Ultimately, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ruled that Morant would be suspended for 25 games before the start of the 2023-24 season.
Ja Morant now has a 15% chance of being traded – up from 5% before he called out coaches last night 👀
(pass @PlayProphetX / pic.twitter.com/oCIwHMBpVL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 1, 2025
The Grizzlies lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, October 31st. After the game, Memphis head coach Thomas Isalo praised Ja Morant’s leadership in front of the coaching staff and players. The two-time All-Star responded in an “inappropriate and dismissive manner,” according to league sources. Subsequently, it was officially announced that Ja Morant had been suspended for one game for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
NBA insider Shams Charania says Ja Morant is expected to rejoin the team on Monday against the Pistons. Charania mentioned that both sides want to move on from Friday’s incident. However, rival teams will continue to monitor Ja Morant’s availability as the 2025-26 season progresses. If Morant’s relationship with the coaching staff and front office becomes rocky, the young point guard could be on the trade market.
