The Memphis Grizzlies entered the 2025-26 campaign without much drama surrounding the team, which was a bit of a change of pace for the team. It didn’t take long for things to revert to their old ways, as star point guard Ja Morant and head coach Tuomas Iisalo are engaging in a fairly public standoff with each other currently.
After Morant made critical comments about Iisalo and the Grizzlies’ coaching staff last week, he earned himself a one-game suspension from the team. According to a report from an NBA insider, tensions between Morant and Iisalo boiled over after the team’s recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, which led to a heated confrontation in the locker room.
Details of Ja Morant, Tuomas Iisalo’s Heated Argument Emerge
For whatever reason, drama seems to find its way to Morant with a concerning frequency. Over the past couple of years, he’s been suspended multiple times for firearm-related incidents, and he’s had several other run-ins with the league, or even his own team, during his seven-year career in the NBA.
Things have taken a turn for the worse in Memphis now that Iisalo has fully taken over for Taylor Jenkins, who was fired late last season. Morant reportedly wasn’t a huge fan of that decision, and sure enough, he and Iisalo haven’t exactly gotten off to a strong start this season. As noted above, Morant was suspended for one game by the Grizzlies for conduct detrimental, and reports indicate he and Iisalo are barely talking to each other currently.
The situation between Morant and Iisalo reached its breaking point when Memphis collapsed against Los Angeles and suffered a 117-112 defeat. After the game, Morant and Iisalo got into an argument with each other, with the star point guard calling out the team’s new head coach for his inconsistent subbing patterns. After the coaches left the locker room, several players reportedly told Morant they agreed with the points he was making.
“Multiple sources say Iisalo singled Morant out for his lack of effort and leadership,” Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported. “Voices were raised during this postgame locker room session, and it ended with Morant essentially telling Iisalo that the constant substitutions were not working and they were the reason for everyone’s lack of enthusiasm in the second half.
The coaches left the locker room, and multiple players approached Morant to share similar sentiments on the coaching philosophy early this season, sources said. Memphis has yet to win a game in the week since tensions reached their boiling point in the Grizzlies’ locker room, and matters have not been resolved in the slightest.”
What Should the Grizzlies Do with Ja Morant, Tuomas Iisalo?
GettyJa Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies may be on a collision course toward a blockbuster trade amid early-season turmoil.
It’s rare to see a new head coaching hire backfire on a team as quickly as Iisalo has for the Grizzlies, but that’s Memphis for you. Chances are, the team isn’t interested in parting ways with Iisalo so soon after hiring him, so it seems like the more likely outcome would see the front office trade Morant away if the situation doesn’t improve.
If Morant and Iisalo truly aren’t talking to each other, that makes it seem more likely than not that this will have a potentially devastating result for the Grizzlies. The front office clearly doesn’t want to trade Morant, but it’s likely only a matter of time until one of them heads for the exit door. As a result, Memphis will be worth keeping tabs on as the 2025-26 season continues to unfold.
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