Ja Morant lashes out at new Grizzlies coaching staff after rough performance

All is not well in Memphis. 

Grizzlies star Ja Morant called out the team’s coaching staff during a postgame media scrum after a tough loss to the Lakers on Friday night. 

“Go ask the coaching staff,” Morant said after being asked what went wrong for the team during the 117-112 defeat.

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup on October 31, 2025 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NBAE via Getty Images

He didn’t stop there. 

 “Go ask him,” Morant said after being asked what he could have done differently during the game. 

And that wasn’t all. 

“According to them, probably don’t play me, honestly,” Morant said when asked if he had other thoughts about the loss. “That’s basically what the message was after.”

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup on October 31, 2025 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NBAE via Getty Images

The awkward postgame comments come after Morant scored just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting. 

The two-time All-Star has seen a drop in playing time during the early-going of the 2025-26 NBA season, averaging a career-low 28.5 minutes per game. 

Morant was ripped by ex-NBA star Blake Griffin, who was on Amazon Prime’s postgame set. 

“For a guy that’s making $40 million and needs to be the leader of the team, I just don’t love it,” Griffin said of Morant, who was shown playing little defense before his comments. “I don’t know if he was not feeling well, if he’s hurt. But that, to me, is a very bad sign and is something that … has to change.”

Morant may still be adjusting to a new regime.

Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo is in the midst of his first full season after the franchise fired Taylor Jenkins late last season. 

Jenkins had been the head coach in Memphis for six seasons. 

Friday’s loss dropped the Grizzlies to 3-3 on the season.