Former Grizzlies HC Says This Is the “Beginning of the End” for Ja Morant in Memphis

Joseph Galizia | 05/11/2025
Nov 3, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) checks into the game during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at FedExForum

The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the most talked-about teams in the NBA right now, but not for the right reasons. The team is in hot water with superstar Ja Morant, who continues to criticize the franchise during media interviews following a one-game suspension for doing the same thing.

What’s worse is that Memphis has now lost three straight games and is starting to look increasingly undisciplined, at least on Morant’s part. Ja even claimed that he no longer has “any joy” playing for the Grizzlies. It’s unraveling, and it may only get worse.

At least, that’s what former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale thinks. The two-time NBA champion spoke about the issues between Morant and Memphis on the latest edition of SiriusXM NBA Radio. He claimed that it all started last year when the organization fired Taylor Jenkins right before the playoffs.

“I don’t know what happened internally, but once you fire a coach of the caliber of Taylor Jenkins, that told me that something’s wrong,” stated Fizdale, who commended Jenkins for getting the Grizzlies back into the city’s good graces.

“Right before the playoffs you fire this guy that has really ignited your program. He’s got the city supporting. He’s hitting second round of the playoffs. They’re rolling. They’re getting there. To see that firing told me that things are not good there. And it kind of seems like it’s coming out with Ja now.”

That was a very strange move, one that the Nuggets pulled on Michael Malone last April, also right before the playoffs. Why would any team would get rid of a coach who got them to the postseason? It’s an infuriatingly confusing question to even have to try and get answered.

Fizdale later mentioned that it’s clear that Morant is just against everything the new coaches now stand for, and points to his behavior in press conferences as a prime example.

“He does not like what they’re doing. He doesn’t like what they’re running. He doesn’t like his rotations. I’ve lived in that world. Antonio you’ve lived in that world where the stars are not happy and they start to say it to the press. And when they start to say to go after the coach? That’s a problem.”

“If they don’t get a hold of this it could really get bad, but it sounds like this is the beginning of the end, to me, for Ja Morant in Memphis,” added Fizdale. Unfortunately, he’s right. This just feels like the brink of an explosion that might be occurring.

So unless something dramatic changes soon, it really feels like the Grizzlies and Morant are headed for a messy split. The tension is too public, the frustration is too loud, and the vibes are nowhere near what you’d want from a former franchise centerpiece.

Memphis can try to patch things up, but once a star starts airing out grievances like this, the clock usually starts ticking. If this is truly the beginning of the end, it’s a tough way for an era that once felt so promising to fall apart.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
David Fisdale Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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