Did Ja Morant just hint at a potential move without accepting the joy?

I Morant returned to Memphis Grizzlies lineup for their Monday night contest against the Detroit Pistons after serving a one-game suspension for disruptive behavior to the team.

Morant received the suspension after infuriating his coaches following Friday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. And it looks like nothing has changed as for the Grizzlies star’s morale, especially after suffering yet another loss, a 114-106 loss to the Pistons.

When asked by reporters after the Grizzlies’ latest loss whether or not Morant had his usual “joy,” the star point guard responded with a straight “no,” per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Morant then replied “we’ll see” when asked how he could bring that joy back.

The Grizzlies are in great shape right now. Morant’s comments do not help at alland that bleeds into the team’s performance on the field. Their loss to the Pistons on Monday was their third in a row, dropping them to 3-5 on the year.

Morant’s poor play on the court doesn’t help either. On Monday, he dropped 18 points and 10 assists, but shot poorly from the field, going 5-16. The Grizzlies were -5 in his 35 minutes, while they were +9 with backup Cam Spencer in his 13 spot.

They have plenty of time to come together, but if Morant doesn’t fully embrace the Grizzlies’ system, then they may have to rethink how their roster is constructed from here on out. Morant could be on the block sooner rather than later if he continues to allude to his unhappiness with his and the Grizzlies’ current situation.

Is it time for the Grizzlies to move on from Ja Morant?

Morant has been a cornerstone of the Grizzlies franchise since 2019, and they’ve improved quite quickly as a team to start his career. They competed for a playoff spot in 2020 before making the playoffs as the eighth seed in 2021. Then they blossomed and emerged as the two seed in 2022. But since then, everything has gone off the rails for Morant and the Grizzlies.

The 2023 season fell through because of Morant’s off-field issues. Morant’s suspension and injury derailed their 2024 campaign. And then in 2025, they lost the plot near the end of the season, leading to the firing of Taylor Jenkins.

The Grizzlies may reach a point where they feel like the headache that comes with a Morant team isn’t worth it because it’s no longer paying off in wins.