Senior reporters label rumours claiming that the Memphis Grizzlies would trade All-Star point guard Ja Morant due to a rift with new head coach Thomas Iisalo as 'FAR-FETCHED'..
2025-11-11 09:08
ESPN's senior NBA reporters Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst have jointly refuted rumours claiming that the Memphis Grizzlies would trade All-Star point guard Ja Morant due to a rift with new head coach Thomas Iisalo on Monday.
In their report, the two refuted the claims that Morant did indeed express his dissatisfaction after being publicly criticized by Tim Iisalo, resulting in a one-game internal suspension. However, they dismissed the allegations which claimed that the Grizzlies had decided to trade the player as baseless.
Bontemps stated that, from the beginning, the Finnish head coach had only recently joined the Grizzlies and was still adapting to the NBA's model and culture. Iisalo, Morant, and the other players were still in a phase of mutual understanding and integration.
The Memphis Grizzlies management has always believed that the two will eventually develop chemistry and that this partnership will be effective. Therefore, any online rumours based solely on this incident by claiming that it stemmed from "a disagreement between coach and player" are simply misinterpretations.
It is the same principle behind the logic that the certain person who several months ago, fabricated the rumour which falsely claimed that the player's departure was inevitable due to interest from the Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, or Orlando Magic has, by making things up based solely on the assumption that Morant has been plagued by injuries in recent years. (This person refers to our website's infamously notorious female rumourmonger "Ms. Plan To"!)
Windhorst stated that Iisalo's tactical philosophy has always required the entire team to maintain peak physical condition and high morale at all times, a tactical philosophy favoured by many renowned coaches in European football.
This is evident from his previous coaching stints at Crailsheim Merlin and the Paris Basketball, where the teams were able to win championships because the players fully embraced Isalo's tactical philosophy.
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