In recent months, Ja Morant has unfortunately made headlines for all the wrong reasons, leading to a swift and challenging situation. His repeated inappropriate actions raised concerns within the NBA and ultimately resulted in a 25-game suspension for the beginning of the 2023-24 season.

Sources within the Memphis Grizzlies believe that a significant part of these issues can be attributed to Ja’s father, Tee Morant, and his influence.

Tee Morant has been a frequent presence at Grizzlies games, often seen sitting courtside and even playing a notable role in the near-brawl with Shannon Sharpe during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers last season. This has led members of the Grizzlies organization to suspect that Tee plays a significant role in Ja’s ongoing poor decision-making, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.

“Tee moved to Memphis shortly after his son’s draft and embraced the privileges of Ja’s rise to superstardom, hosting VIP events and nightclub parties, frequently in the spotlight of television cameras,” according to team sources. “Tee’s presence, along with the series of incidents, has left some in the Grizzlies organization dismayed,” as per Baxter Holmes and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

One team source expressed, “Tee has been a major driving force in all of this. He never made the NBA, but this was his chance to live like he’s an NBA superstar. That’s been a problem from the beginning.”

The entire Morant situation has become problematic for the Grizzlies, and while the team remains hopeful that they can guide Ja back on the right path, it’s undoubtedly a challenging task if his father, Tee, is indeed encouraging him to make unfavorable choices. The Morant family’s presence has raised concerns within the Grizzlies’ facilities, and if the team cannot find a way to manage their star player and his entourage, they may face some tough decisions in the future.