Danny Green adresses another tense situation between Memphis and Ja Morant: "Another level of disrespect"

Story by

Yakshpat Bhargava

Tue, Apr 14, 2026 ·

2 min read

The relationship between Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies had taken a messy turn since the beginning of the 2025-26 season. What began as internal friction, with Morant questioning the coaching staff during the team's struggles, gradually escalated into something more serious.

Despite trade activity involving players like Jaren Jackson Jr. , the franchise did not move Ja, only adding to the sense of tension between both sides.

Now, after the most recent incident, Danny Green believes the situation has crossed the line of outright disrespect.

The breaking point came on Fan Appreciation Night, when Ja was reportedly asked not to get involved, being the only player on the active roster to be sidelined. Addressing the issue, Green not only deemed it unwarranted but also educated the Grizzlies organization about the connection between the fans and their star player.

"This is another level of disrespect to me. I think it's disrespectful to him, obviously, but I also think it's disrespectful to the fans. A fan could have gotten a Ja Morant jersey, an interaction. He may not be a fan favorite to you guys, but to the city, to the culture, to the people, his jersey sells. People buy it. People want it. People want his signature, " Green said. "That jersey holds value to a lot of fans ."

Memphis' antics seem "wild"

Fan appreciation night is typically a straightforward, feel-good event - players acknowledge the supporters and fans leave with lasting memories. But in this case, the late decision cast a shadow over the evening. It felt even more jarring given the team's underwhelming season, where Memphis struggled to find consistency and managed just a single stretch of more than three consecutive wins.

Beyond the disappointment for fans, Green was particularly critical of how abruptly the decision was communicated. Informing Morant as the last minute didn't just exclude him - it potentially took away what could have been a meaningful moment of closure, especially if his future with the team is uncertain.

"For him individually, like an hour before - what do you expect him to do at that point? Go home like you could have notified him hours beforehand. At that point, I don't need to come to the arena if I'm not giving a fan appreciation. Ya'll obviously don't want me here. Do I go home after this? Like all right, cool, I'll just go home ," Green added.

"Trying to like take him out of team pictures like you're trying to banish this man ever existed from this year. It's kind of wild."

This behavior is uncharacteristic

At the same time, Green also hinted that there might be more to the story. Drawing from his own experience with the organization, he noted that Memphis has never been known to act out of spite.

That led him to speculate that something may have happened behind the scenes - something significant enough to push the franchise toward such an extreme decision. From the outside, it now feels like a professional disagreement and more like something personal.

"I was in Memphis, this is uncharacteristic," Green concluded . "They usually do things differently. They were one of the better organizations I played for. They were structured, well-organized."

At this stage, it's hard to ignore where things are heading. Any hope of Ja rebuilding a long-term future in Memphis seems to be fading. The disconnect between the player and franchise has grown too wide and all signs suggest that a separation may be inevitable - one that seems destined to end on a sour note.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.