Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are slowly beginning to drift apart, with signs of tension continuing to mount.
Morant was suspended for one game by the team for behaviour deemed detrimental to the club, following his actions during the Grizzlies’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last Friday. He sat out Sunday’s road defeat against the Toronto Raptors as part of that suspension.
The 26-year-old was back in action on Monday, posting 18 points, six rebounds and 10 assists in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Reggie Miller calls for coaching change as Grizzlies’ struggles continue
Morant has admitted he’s lost his enjoyment for the game, and his body language has reflected that. Memphis are 3-5 to start the year, and Morant hasn’t looked interested. His relationship with head coach Tuomas Iisalo hasn’t helped matters.
Miller spoke on NBA on TNT following the Grizzlies’ 104-98 loss to Detroit, saying: “If you’re Memphis, I think you want to start fielding calls [for a trade], unless you are going to fire your coach, and that sets a bad precedent.”
Reggie Miller believes Memphis should consider a coaching change
Morant has openly stated that he’s not enjoying the game at the moment, and his body language on the court has reflected that.
The Grizzlies are off to a slow start at 3-5, and Morant doesn’t appear to be engaged. His relationship with head coach Tuomas Iisalo hasn’t helped matters either.
NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller believes Memphis needs to make a significant move to mend things with Morant, even suggesting a change in leadership could be necessary.
Miller spoke about it during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show: “I believe the ship has sailed and the only way you are going to be able to turn course is if you get a new coach in there,” Miller said.
“If you keep the current administration, Ja has checked out. I didn’t like the comments or the body language after that Lakers game.
“And listening to the comments after the loss against Detroit at home, it was almost even worse. The body language tells me everything, he has checked out.”
Trouble is brewing between Ja Morant and Memphis
If things don’t improve soon and Morant remains distant from the team, they might have little choice but to explore trade options for their All-Star guard.
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Moving Morant wouldn’t be simple given his contract situation, but interest would still be there if he became available.
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