Ja Morant's suspension, clarified: Grizzlies player will be sidelined due to 'conduct detrimental to the team'

The Memphis Grizzlies are off to a 3-3 start to the 2025-26 season, their first full campaign since firing Taylor Jenkins in 2024-25 and then trading guard Desmond Bane in the offseason.

Plenty is different for Memphis this season, but one essential presence remains for the team's future: star guard Ja Morant. The 26-year-old, now in his seventh season, remains one of the NBA's best players when healthy and aggressive.

However, Morant has also been the center of off-the-court issues before — and that continued early in the 2025-26 season, when the Grizzlies announced a brief suspension for Morant.

Why was Morant suspended by the Grizzlies? Here's the background on why Memphis decided to sideline its guard for "conduct detrimental to the team."

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Ja Morant's suspension explained.

On Saturday, the Grizzlies announced they would be suspending Morant for "conduct detrimental to the team."

The previous night, the Grizzlies competed against the Los Angeles Lakers, a game that concluded with a 117-112 defeat. Morant contributed only eight points, making 3 of 14 shots from the field, in addition to his seven assists, during his 31 minutes of play. 

After the game, Morant was questioned about the shortcomings in his and the team's play.

"Go ask the coaching staff," Morant said.

When questioned about having less energy during the game than he typically does, Morant responded, "Go ask the coaching staff why."

Ja Morant when asked questions from the media:

“Go ask the coaching staff.”

When questioned about alternative actions, beyond consulting the coaching staff:

“According to them, probably don’t play me.”

(🎥 @50NuancesDeNBA)

pic.twitter.com/BNOIxhl0xa

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 1, 2025

This marks the Grizzlies' inaugural full season with head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who initially took on the interim role during the 2024-25 season following Taylor Jenkins' dismissal. Iisalo's temporary designation was rescinded in May. 

Following the loss to the Lakers, Morant was suspended by the team According to ESPN's Shams Charania"as a result of Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo challenging Morant's leadership and effort in a postgame exchange". In response to Iisalo, Morant reportedly "responded in a tone deemed inappropriate."

Following the Lakers' victory against Memphis on Friday, Amazon analyst Blake Griffin, a former NBA player, was one of the individuals who questioned Morant's performance during the game.

"For a guy who's making forty million dollars and needs to be the leader of this team, I just don't love it," Griffin said. "That, to me, is a very bad sign."

Blake Griffin calls out Ja Morant's not playing hard or being engaged 👀 pic.twitter.com/EMbIoiE8pA

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) November 1, 2025

Morant, who's played his entire career with Memphis, is currently averaging 20.8 points and 6.7 assists over six games this season. He's got two more seasons left on the five-year, $197.2 million contract deal he inked with The Grizzlies back in 2023. 

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Ja Morant's suspension duration is eight games.

The Grizzlies have announced that Morant will face a one-game suspension. 

This indicates Memphis will be missing its primary point guard for Sunday's away game against the Toronto Raptors. Morant's return is slated for Monday's home matchup versus the Detroit Pistons. 

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Past suspensions for Ja Morant

Morant's NBA career has seen him suspended on prior occasions.

Morant received an eight-game suspension from the NBA in March 2023, following an investigation into the Grizzlies player showing a weapon on Instagram Live. Morant released a statement saying he would be leaving the team for an "indefinite amount of time," deactivating his social media accounts, and reportedly meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Morant's suspension from the NBA was eight games in total, but it included six games he had already missed as a result of his leave from the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies suspended Morant from team activities in May 2023 following another incident where he displayed a firearm on Instagram Live. Silver said he was "shocked" by Morant's actions — and for the second time in months, the NBA announced a suspension for the guard, this time for 25 games, provided that he fulfilled a league-sponsored program.

Due to his second NBA suspension, Morant was absent for the beginning of the 2023-24 season, making his return in December.

Here's a rundown of Morant's past suspensions, issued by either the NBA or the Grizzlies: