NBA star Ja Morant is facing heavy scrutiny and trade speculation after his recent conflict with the Memphis Grizzlies ' coaching staff, which culminated in a one-game suspension.
However, although Ja had already had several off-court issues midway through his seven-year career, with the gun controversies and whatnot, it seems that this situation is a new low point for the 26-year-old point guard.
And NBA player-turned basketball analyst Brian Scalabrine thinks Morant is not handling it well.
The White Mamba believes that the Grizzlies' centerpiece has shown a weak mentality in the face of adversity in recent years – a far cry from how his fellow young star, Cade Cunningham , dealt with his own low point when the Detroit Pistons suffered a losing streak in 2023.
"Listen, it's different. One guy's losing games and one guy's getting destroyed for his personal decisions. But it's rock bottom, right? It's rock bottom," Scalabrine said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. "But look where the two players have gone from there. That's the stuff that makes champions."
The 2023-2024 regular season was demoralizing for the Pistons, especially for Cunningham, whom they saw as the missing piece that would help turn things around for the hapless franchise. But more than two years since Detroit selected him with the first overall pick, Cade had already hit the lowest point of his young career.
The Pistons lost 28 straight games, setting a record for the longest losing streak in a single season. The streak cemented their reputation as one of the perennial bottom-dwellers of the league, as they have not won more than 23 games from 2019-2020 to the 2023-2024 season.
Looking to change that reputation, "Motor Cade" showed the championship mentality Brian was talking about in the next season, helping the Pistons reclaim their winning identity.
As he carved his first All-Star season with averages of 26.1 points, 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds, the point guard led Detroit to 44 wins and their first playoff appearance since 2018-2019.
This season, Cade and the Pistons are looking to surpass that, with their franchise star believing that last year's turnaround was just the beginning. And so far, they have been on a tear, holding the second spot in the Eastern Conference with a 6-2 record.
Meanwhile, a different and more disappointing story is unfolding in Memphis with Morant.
After he was suspended by the Grizzlies for showing inappropriate conduct following their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers , speculations about a possible trade have circulated in the league; teams are reportedly keeping an eye on Ja's unstable situation in Memphis.
Rumors of his discontent were further fuelled by his recent comments, where he has " lost his joy " playing for the Grizzlies. Reggie Miller said his body language alone is already showing how he feels toward the franchise. These are certainly not good signs for someone the team looks to as a leader.
Ever since he had issues with guns and struggled with injuries, Morant has been on a decline . Scalabrine thought that Morant had gotten over his personal struggles, but this current Memphis issue seems to be showing otherwise.
"When Ja Morant , the guns or whatever he did, I'm like, all right, this gotta be rock bottom for him. He's gonna bounce out of it," he said. "I fully thought that he was gonna bounce out of it. Yet he did not bounce out of it. It's the same thing."
As Detroit continues its ascent, Memphis needs a new leader to step up, with Morant still not over the issue and needs coach Iisalo to regain control of the locker room if they do not want this season to go to waste.
Related: Ja Morant admits he lost his joy playing for Grizzlies: "We'll see"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
