The NBA landscape has taken a surprising twist in the 2025–26 regular season. Several teams that looked dominant have stumbled out of the gate, and one of them is the Memphis Grizzlies.
At 9–13, fans were convinced that the growth of their franchise cornerstone, Ja Morant, would push the team back into contention. Instead, things have spiraled, and now even NBA executives are openly calling out the All-Star guard.
Why Are NBA Executives Not Happy With Ja Morant?
In an ESPN piece from Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon, league insiders painted a bleak picture of how Morant is viewed behind the scenes. Executives reportedly see troubling parallels between Morant and former MVP-level point guards, such as Derrick Rose and John Wall.
Both Rose and Wall were great athletes whose careers were derailed early because their explosiveness faded after they suffered serious knee injuries. They went from future superstars at the top of the league to what-if stories in just a few seasons, and some around the NBA quietly fear Morant could be heading down the same path.
“‘The combination of pain in the a**, injury prone, not that good anymore and big contract is a bad one,’ said an East executive, who added that he wouldn’t want Morant on his roster regardless of salary.”
“Morant is only 26, but some talent evaluators around the league believe that his best years have already passed. Those skeptics compare Morant to Derrick Rose and John Wall — smaller guards who relied heavily on spectacular athleticism that was sapped by injuries, shortening their stints as superstars,” wrote the insiders in the ESPN report.
The turbulence really began to surface this season. Just a few weeks earlier, on November 1, Morant was suspended for one game by the Grizzlies after a heated confrontation with interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
Following a poor outing against the Los Angeles Lakers, where Morant finished with only eight points on an inefficient 3-for-14 shooting night, Iisalo reportedly challenged his energy and leadership in front of the locker room.
Rather than accepting the criticism, Morant is said to have responded with dismissive comments, and later brushed off questions from the media by telling reporters to “ask the coaching staff” about his reduced minutes. Memphis responded by sitting him for the next game against the Toronto Raptors, signaling that patience inside the organization might be wearing thin.
MORE: ‘You Fake Tough’ — Former NBA All-Star Blasts Ja Morant for Viral Altercation With Klay Thompson
The tension did not end there. On November 22, Morant found himself in the middle of another incident, this time after the final buzzer. As players walked toward the tunnel, Morant, who was on the sideline in gray streetwear and not in uniform, stepped directly into the path of Mavericks guard Klay Thompson. Viral clips showed Morant shouting at Thompson and allegedly calling him “a bum” while pointing aggressively near his face. Thompson slapped Morant’s hand away, clearly frustrated that a player who had not even checked into the game was now provoking him.
Teammates, coaches, and security quickly separated the two before things escalated, but the footage of Morant grinning and jawing at Thompson while making a scene ignited instant backlash across social media and sports talk shows.
These flashpoints only add to a growing pattern of concern. Dating back to last season, Morant already drew league discipline and public criticism for multiple incidents involving guns and firearm gestures. Those episodes cost him games, money, and reputation, and they raised serious questions about his judgment. Instead of leaving that baggage behind, this year has piled even more drama onto his name.
What Does Ja Morant’s Play Mean for the Memphis Grizzlies?
On the floor, the production has not been enough to drown out the noise. So far this season, Morant has averaged 17.9 points, 7.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game, numbers that some analysts view as among the least impressive of his career.
He has only appeared in 12 games and is currently sidelined with a calf injury, which has further fueled doubts about his reliability and consistency with the team. Availability has become just as big a concern as performance.
All of this has naturally led to speculation about Morant’s future in Memphis. Rumors have already surfaced that the Grizzlies could consider moving on if the relationship continues to fray and the off-court distractions do not slow down. The only question left is whether Morant chooses to rewrite the story or whether the story continues without him.