Ja Morant has lost his joy for basketball, and the Memphis Grizzlies should probably trade him

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has always been a polarizing figure since entering the NBA. Most recently, he was suspended by the team for conduct detrimental to the team for essentially quitting on the team mid-game against the Lakers and making some less-than-flattering comments about the coaching staff after that game.

Now, back from suspension, Ja Morant’s joy is gone, and his time in Memphis might be nearing its end:

Ja Morant says he lost his joy 😳

(🎥 @Matt_Infield) pic.twitter.com/JR2sfnhVop

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 4, 2025

Suspensions aren’t exactly something new for Morant, either. The league has popped him a couple of times.

• 8 games – After a video showing Morant holding a firearm on Instagram Live at a Denver-area nightclub, the league suspended him for 8 games without pay in March 2023.
• 25 games – Following a second gun-related video (May 2023), the NBA suspended him for 25 games at the start of the 2023-24 season.
• 1 game – The team suspended Morant one game for “conduct detrimental to the team” after post-game comments and behaviour toward the coaching staff.
  

Suspensions haven’t been the only problem affecting his availability. Constant injury struggles have plagued his career, and he hasn’t played more than 50 games in a season since the 2022-23 season.

So, yeah, I can see how you could lose your love for the game when the past few years have been a total cluster. I lost my joy for the game of basketball thanks to people like Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Doc Rivers.

Of course, Sixers fans are getting their joy back with the addition of VJ Edgecombe and a resurgent Tyrese Maxey. Unfortunately for Morant and Grizzlies fans, the law of equivalent exchange reigns supreme.

The laws of the NBA universe dictate that you cannot gain something without giving something of equal value. And we’re seeing that play out before our very eyes right now.

Combine Ja Morant’s frustrations with himself and his team with the fact that Memphis fired a coach he actually liked, and this has the makings of a messy divorce written all over it. When your disgruntled superstar is operating out of the Jimmy Butler playbook, damage control is the least of your concerns.

You’ve got to get him out now before it eats at the rest of the team. I get that Memphis loves this guy and he’s the face of the franchise, but you can’t let a guy like Ja Morant, who clearly hates this team and does not care, hold your team hostage.

Does that mean you’re right back to rebuild? Probably. But sometimes relationships don’t work out, and the longer you stay in this, the worse it’s going to get.

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