Tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies continued their early-season slide, losing 124-109 to the Houston Rockets, falling to 3-6. It was yet another poor shooting night for Ja Morant, who went just 6-19 from the field, finishing with 19 points. Despite all this, Morant’s body language was significantly better this time around than in the last two games he played. But when your name’s involved in trade rumors, every slow jog on defense and careless turnover will feel much louder than usual.

The noise around Morant hasn’t stopped. Over the last few days following a suspension after the Los Angeles Lakers game, his name has surfaced in trade chatter with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings, both teams lacking established stars at the point guard spot. While the Grizzlies are reportedly not willing to trade him, that hasn’t stopped fans from trying to read his every movement. That was evident especially against Houston.

However, after the game Morant had a very different tone from the previous few interviews with the media. Tonight seemed to look like a return to accountability for the guard, who, when asked how the half-court offense could be better, immediately replied, “I just got to be better. Reading the defense, shot selection, taking care of the ball.” This must be a welcome change for Grizzlies fans, given the recent conversation surrounding the team.

Further, he also analyzed the offensive issues the team faced, saying about teammate Jaren Jackson Jr., “You got to give him space. We play in space. We don’t have no space. We’re not making enough shots. So guys able to pack the paint and shift a lot… There’s not enough space. We’ve got to make more shots and open up the floor for him.”

Memphis has started the season bottom-10 in both offensive and defensive rating, and Morant‘s significantly reduced driving frequency has also prevented the Grizzlies from being able to penetrate defenses and allow much better looks for the rest of the team. For a player who thrives in chaos, this situation feels suffocating.

Top Stories

Cowboys Hater Stephen A. Smith Clears Stance on Draymond Green Calling Dak Prescott a ‘Bum’

Lakers vs Spurs: Luka Doncic & Co’s Stats, Box Score and Game Summary (11/5) of 2025-26 NBA Season

Nico Harrison Makes Feelings Clear on Luka Doncic During Unusual Moment With Dallas Fans

Mavericks vs Pelicans: Cooper Flagg & Co’s Stats, Box Score and Game Summary (11/5) of 2025-26 NBA Season

After this demoralizing loss, pragmatic words from Ja like “turning the page” and “having a good day or practice,” fell on deaf ears for the fans, and their conversation had already shifted from mistakes to intent.

Fans React to Ja Morant’s ‘Tanking’ Accusations Following Poor Grizzlies Showing

The post from the meme page quickly spread on X, with one fan reacting, “Investigate Ja immediately,” highlighting the disbelief amongst fans that these mistakes were accidental.

Another viewer posted, “taking another page from the Jimmy Butler playbook,” referring to Jimmy Butler’s heated exit from the Miami Heat last season, where he looked subdued and unengaged on court. On top of this, Ja recently made a comment similar to Butler’s during his issues with Miami last season. When asked if he was playing with the joy so integral to his game, Morant simply replied “No,” proceeding to just say, “We’ll see,” when asked if he could get the joy back.

Butler told media members last year that he had “lost my joy” for basketball in Miami, and said that he would also need a change of scenery for that joy to return.

Then came the cynics, with one observer stating, “Smart. instead of sitting out or requesting a trade, play like s— and still get paid.” The post referred to the popular idea of tanking one’s own stat line, and how stars could apply pressure without breaking any contractual terms. It was outrageous, but something that fans seem used to in today’s NBA.

Others took the sarcasm up a notch. One comment read, “He gonna get suspended first before getting traded 😭,” highlighting Morant’s history of off-court issues, including suspensions, both from his team and the league at large.

Finally, Lakers fans got in on the sweepstakes, with one fan simply stating, “Send him to the Lakers for Bronny,” triggering the flood of absurd trade proposals. Beneath the humor, it was a shared feeling that Ja Morant’s strained relationship with the Grizzlies might be nearing its end.