Ja Morant Could Becoming Trade Bait After Latest Suspension

The Memphis Grizzlies are facing the Toronto Raptors on Sunday without their star guard Ja Morant in the lineup. The team suspended him for an incident in the locker room after their last game on Friday night. Now, insider Shams Charania has revealed some of the details about that confrontation between Morant and the Grizzlies head coach, while also insinuating that he could become a trade candidate.

Joining @SportsCenter AM to discuss details on Ja Morant's one-game suspension with the Memphis Grizzlies and what's next: pic.twitter.com/AqDxkPQ7LZ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 2, 2025

"There's been tension in the last several days between Ja Morant and his feelings towards his first-year head coach Tuomas Iisalo, around some of his rotation patterns and plays. But it really culminated after and during the loss to the Lakers on Friday night.

"In the post-game locker room, Morant and Iisalo had an exchange where Iisalo called out Morant's leadership and effort in front of the whole team. And as teammates and staffers all looked on, Morant responded in what the team deemed an inappropriate and dismissive way. That's when the Grizzlies and team officials huddled up and levied a one-game suspension on Morant."

So where do they go from here?

“The teams across the league... are monitoring this, keeping an eye on where this relationship stands between Ja Morant and the Grizzlies,” Charania revealed.

In other words, trade inquiries will be made.

This isn't the first time Morant has been in trouble and missed games due to his behavior. He served 33 games' worth of suspensions in 2023 for gun incidents, and was fined for another gun-related issue last season. He is still the face of the franchise, but we shall see how much longer that lasts.