Overview
- After a heated locker-room exchange with coach Tuomas Iisalo led to a one-game suspension, Ja Morant returned with 21 points and 13 assists in a Grizzlies win that briefly quieted trade chatter.
- ESPN-linked reporting attributes the dispute to Iisalo’s short-substitution strategy, with Morant skeptical of the approach as his early-season shooting has fallen to career lows.
- League teams, including the Timberwolves and Kings, are monitoring the situation, but multiple reports say Memphis is not actively pursuing a trade at this stage.
- Commentators have floated hypothetical deals — notably Miami packages built around Tyler Herro — yet these are media proposals rather than known team offers.
- Sources also raise the possibility of a broader reset that could involve Jaren Jackson Jr., who is under contract through 2030 and cannot be traded until Jan. 13, 2026.