Back in sync, Ja Morant looks to overcome rough start prior to NBA trade deadline

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant should see his normal complement of minutes against the 76ers on Tuesday.

Dec 28, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dunks the ball against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies slipped to 6-10 in Ja Morant’s starts with one of the worst losses of an uneven season on Sunday, falling 116-112 at the Wizards. Washington came in tied with the Indiana Pacers for fewest wins and was without its most productive player since forward Kyshawn George missed the game with a hip flexor strain. 

Morant finished minus-22 in his time on the floor despite his 21 points and seven assists. He made three of his five 3-pointers, but those wound up being empty stats. With Memphis down 110-107, he returned to replace Cam Spencer, who missed all five of his 3-pointers in the loss, and actually scored his team’s last five points. 

Still, it couldn’t prevent Memphis’ demise. Vets CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton made big plays down the stretch to pick up the victory. 

A fan started heckling him, and his outspoken dad Tee confronting him went viral.

A Wizards fan roasted Ja Morant last night 💀

“You got your coach FIRED to be a play-in team!” 😭

pic.twitter.com/271v0QSACl

— Kicks (@kicks) December 29, 2025

Morant is always going to be tied to this type of attention because he’s polarizing. Critics will always be looking to pile on. His baggage precedes him.

Memphis managed a second loss to one of the NBA’s worst teams in a nine-day span. Morant didn’t see the floor in that first one, which saw a 37-point, 10-rebound night from Santi Aldama wasted in a 130-122 defeat, but don’t let facts get in the way of a juicy take.

Ja Morant called Klay a bum only to lose to the wizards. Twice. pic.twitter.com/ONKNvnhHui

— Michael Jordan's Burner Official (@jordanumbers) December 29, 2025

Someone cue up Community Notes for that guy, but Morant being in the mix on Sunday did set up a clear revenge spot in D.C. George, who led Washington with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on Dec. 20, wouldn’t be involved. It didn't matter. Didn't work out.

The Grizzlies squandered an opportunity to get back to .500 for the first time since Halloween night, which is ironic since that’s still the most memorable game of the team’s season to date. 

That was the night Morant put his displeasure with the Grizzlies, specifically new head coach Tuomas Iisalo, on full display.  It looked like he wanted to ghost the Grizzlies. His game was more trick than treat, looking like stale candy corn.

In a 117-112 home loss to the Lakers that got a national stage on Amazon Prime, Morant moped his way to a 3-for-14 shooting night, missed all six of his 3-point looks and often looked like he was just going through the motions.

He vented post-game, got suspended for the next contest in Toronto and returned to struggle some more before suffering a calf injury on Nov. 15 in Zach Edey’s season debut.

Since Morant wasn’t moved while he was on the mend, it’s time to bury his awful start and afford him a fresh start. He’ll play his fifth game since returning from a 10-game absence on Tuesday against Philadelphia in 2025’s final contest, marking the end of a seventh year as the face of the Grizzlies’ franchise. 

Morant turned his ankle late in a Dec. 15 win over the Clippers and missed another four games, but beyond telling him to beware the ides of January, it’s hard to say much about how he’s looked this month. He’s averaged 17.8 points and 7.8 assists over 24.5 minutes due to restrictions likely to loosen soon, and his three turnovers per game haven’t been overly careless. He appears to be getting back in a rhythm and finding his flow.

After shooting 10-for-60 from 3-point range prior to his calf injury, Morant has raised his percentage from 16.6 to 22.2 by making six of 12. That’s 50 percent. Morant isn’t going to make half of his 3-pointers going forward, but if he makes more than one of every six, he’s going to be more asset than liability no matter where he plays.

While there will be talk that Morant will be available between now and the trade deadline, the beginning of 2026 will be make-or-break for his future. Edey won’t be back for another couple weeks, but there’s hope that the point guard and massive center will be great for one another because we’ve seen it in flashes.

Jaren Jackson Jr. has picked up his level of play, winning a Western Conference Player of the Week award after looking like a shell of himself in ramping up following offseason surgery, so Morant will be able to lean on his tag-team partner more.

Morant is good for the kids, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and even Spencer. No one has ever called him a bad teammate. His loyalty is beyond reproach.

Instead of having a chance to overcome a tumultuous start to the 2025-26 season by finishing the calendar year with a winning record, Memphis will host Philadelphia on Tuesday looking to avoid a fourth loss in its last six games. 

It’s an opportunity, win or lose, for Morant to flush 2025 down the drain and look forward. Whatever comes next is around the corner.