Ja Morant lashes out after a loss

The Memphis Grizzlies began his campaign in the NBA Cup with a 117–112 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night at FedExForum, but the evening ended with more questions about the team’s chemistry than its performance. Holding a 14-point halftime lead wasn’t enough for Memphis, while Luka Dončić led a furious return to Los Angeles with 44 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in his return from injury.

The loss dropped the Grizzlies to 3–3 in the 2025–26 season. While Joc Landale and Jalen Wells each added 16 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. 15, they were the stars of the franchise It was Morant’s outing and his comments afterwards that attracted the most attention.

Often a source of energy for the Memphis offense, Ja Morant looked out of sync and ended the night with one of his most unproductive games in recent memory. He finished with eight points on 3-of-14 shooting, missing all six of his three-point attempts, and added seven assists and one rebound in 31 minutes. His eight-point outing was his lowest total since Dec. 5, 2024.

After the game, Morant looked visibly irritated when asked about the loss and its effect. Asked what went wrong, he responded succinctly, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian:

“Go ask the coaching staff.”

When asked what the team could have done better, Morant said:

“According to them, he’s probably not faking me.”

His remarks hinted at frustration with Memphis’ trade schemes this season. The Grizzlies have adopted shorter rotations with a focus on pace and pace, often limiting players’ rhythm for longer stretches. Morant, who reentered the game with 5:33 left in the fourth quarter, looked relieved late, dishing out just one assist and no rebounds.

Head coach Tuomas Iisalo did not address local reporters after the loss, leaving Morant’s comments unchallenged publicly. Inside the locker room, the atmosphere was tense and subdued. Teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. spoke briefly with Morant before walking away from the media area.

After a disappointing 2024–25 campaign, Memphis entered this season looking to re-establish stability and chemistry, but questions have already emerged about the internal trust between their team leader and coaching staff.

The Grizzlies will have some time to regroup as they hit the road to face the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at 6:00 PM EST.