Ja Morant has ignited fresh controversy after openly criticizing the Memphis Grizzlies’ coaching staff following Friday’s 117-112 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers. Memphis squandered a 15-point lead and fell apart late, with Morant struggling through a poor shooting night.<\/p>
The guard played 30 minutes, finishing with just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting while missing all six of his three-point attempts. Asked afterward what went wrong, Ja Morant deflected responsibility and pointed toward the bench. “Go ask the coaching staff … go ask them, they had a whole spiel in here,” he told reporters.<\/p>
Ja Morant suggested his playing time was a point of contention. “According to them, don’t play me, honestly. That’s basically what the message was after, so, it’s cool,” he added. His body language during the game also drew attention, as he appeared disengaged and less impactful than usual.<\/p>
The tension comes just six games into the tenure of new head coach Tuomas Iisalo, raising questions about whether Morant and the staff are aligned. With Memphis having peaked at a 2022 conference semifinals appearance, speculation is mounting over whether the franchise could consider moving on from its star guard.<\/p>