The Athletic NBA Daily — November 3, 2025

Episode Title: Will the Grizzlies trade Ja Morant? + Thunder stay undefeated
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Zena Keita, Esfandiar Baraheni (S)
Episode Overview:
This fast-paced episode dives deep into NBA hot topics: Ja Morant’s suspension and trade speculation after a rocky week in Memphis, the red-hot undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder, the unraveling New Orleans Pelicans, the end of the Bulls’ and Spurs’ streaks, Victor Wembanyama’s learning curve, Josh Hart’s injury, and the shape of the Hawks without Trae Young.

Main Theme

The episode explores the fallout from Ja Morant’s suspension and potential trade from the Grizzlies, the early NBA season’s surprises—particularly the Thunder’s unbeaten run—and diagnostic breakdowns of ailing teams and rising players. The hosts deliver insider perspectives, stats, and candid analysis in their signature lively tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ja Morant Suspended: Is a Trade Next?

Starts 02:10

• Suspension Fallout:

  • Morant is suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, missing Sunday’s game in Toronto.
  • The Grizzlies had no offensive spark without him.
  • His body language and play in the game prior to suspension were, as Dave put it, "lackadaisical" (03:33).

• Performance and System Fit:

  • S: “He looked absolutely lackadaisical...I felt as if, you know, when we heard about his statement, when he said when asked about his performance in the game that the coaching staff basically told him that he shouldn’t have played, that he shouldn’t have been out there.” (03:48)
  • Ja’s minutes are down, his 3P% is at a career-low (15%), and he has more airballs than makes, leading S to call it "a problem. That is a problem." (05:24)
  • Grizzlies pushing Jaren Jackson Jr. to the forefront—shifting team identity away from Ja.
  • S: “This is now Jaren Jackson Jr’s team…slowly but surely making this team built around Jaren Jackson Jr.” (07:07)

• Coaching Disputes and Locker Room Dynamics:

  • Head coach Thomas Isalo is known for publicly calling out players; apparently, a film session confrontation with Ja led to fallout. (08:07)
  • S: “When Ja Morant is off the floor, the assist rate for the Memphis grizzlies goes up 15%. When Ja Morant is off the floor, their offense is eight points better.” (09:05)

• Trade Talk & Morant’s Value:

  • Trade speculation is increasing.
  • D: “If you get moved, other teams are looking at that, too.” (09:39)
  • D pitches a Ja-for-Quickley/Agbaji trade to the Raptors, raising questions about Ja’s current value and market (“Would the Grizzlies even remotely be interested in taking on Emmanuel Quickley’s contract?” — B, 11:27).

• Viability and Suitors:

  • S: “What is Ja Morant's value right now in the marketplace? Like, what team, what player, what franchise is looking at what Ja Morant has done over the last couple years and says, you know what? That’s worth the risk?” (12:29)
  • Brooklyn Nets named as a fit due to their need for a star, followed by a fun, hypothetical speculation on Portland (13:25).

2. Thunder: The Last Undefeated Team

Starts 13:47

• Thunder Analysis:

  • Thunder move to 7-0 after blowing out the Pelicans.
  • Dave: “I looked at the schedule for the Thunder. I’m not sure when the Thunder are going to lose.”

• Thunder Identity:

  • The team is highlighted for depth, defense, and smashing expectations.

3. Pelicans: A Franchise in Trouble

Starts 15:06

• Falling Apart:

  • Pelicans drop to 0-6 this season, suffering repeated 30-point blowouts.
  • Dave: “Willie Green seat is not hot. That thing melted. That is gone.” (14:02)

• Instability and Missed Potential:

  • Zena reviews injuries and instability since 2021: Zion’s injuries, Jonas Valanciunas as an unlikely go-to player, Trey Murphy’s hurdles.
  • S: “This is a gap in communication between a front office who built a team and completely mortgaged its immediate future…and a coach who is trying to teach a very, very young and inexperienced team with Zion at the helm of it how to learn how to win.” (17:22)
  • Consensus: Roster is not as advertised; Green is likely to be scapegoated.

4. Spurs & Bulls: Streaks End

Starts 23:30

Victor Wembanyama’s Rough Night

• Defensive Masterclass Against Wemby:
  • Suns hold Victor to 9 points—his first sub-10 scoring night in 30+ minutes.
  • Dave: “They were clearly committed to just hit him as much as you can, make him feel like it’s a football game and bother him. And it did.” (24:24)
  • Zena: “It wasn’t just being physical. It was the positioning…” (24:46)
  • Analysts agree physical, active, smaller defenders give Wemby trouble. Next step for Wemby is live-read passing under pressure (26:38).
  • Injury update: Dylan Harper leaves spurs game on crutches after a strong season start. (27:19)

Bulls

• Defense Regresses to Mean:
  • S: “They were like a top three or four defense in the league. And I'm going to tell you right now, that was so fake.” (28:06)
  • Hot three-point defense was unsustainable; Knicks exposed them by shooting 47% from deep.
  • Josh Hart’s injury updates: nerve issue in his fingers could require surgery, potentially sidelining him for three months.
  • Zena highlights that, despite this, players are eager to be part of the new system under Mike Brown: “I just feel like all of these guys are just like, I want to be a part of this.” (30:10)

5. Hawks Without Trae Young: New Look, New Energy

Starts 31:38

• On-Tra-Off-Tra:
  • Trey Young out 4 weeks with a sprained knee.
  • Dave: “In these two games without Tre… I have seen some clarity for the Hawks...” (32:28)
  • Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson thriving in new roles, especially on defense with Nikhil Alexander-Walker; S sees potential in staggering Trae / Jalen unit styles.
  • Zena points out Dyson Daniels’ surge: “18 points scored in the last two games. Incredibly efficient from the floor. 60% higher. In the three before that, he hadn't been higher than 33% from the floor.” (34:00)
  • Hosts agree: When Trae finds his form, the Hawks’ outlook will brighten.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Ja Morant’s Value:

  • “What is Ja Morant's value right now in the marketplace?...That's worth the risk?”
    — Esfandiar Baraheni (12:29)

• On Jaren Jackson Jr. being the focus:

  • “...they are slowly but surely making this team built around Jaren Jackson Jr. And how does that feel if you're John Moran?”
    — Esfandiar Baraheni (07:23)

• On the Pelicans’ Situation:

  • “Willie Green seat is not hot. That thing melted. That is gone.”
    — Dave DuFour (14:02)

• On Wemby Being Human:

  • “It’s nice to see that this guy, he's just not there. Right? Yeah, he's human. You know, it's a bad game…”
    — Dave DuFour (26:38)

• On Bulls’ Defense:

  • “That was so fake… Jedi three point defense.”
    — Esfandiar Baraheni (28:06)

Timestamps for Main Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------|------------| | Show Begins (skip ads) | 02:10 | | Ja Morant Suspension & Trade Talk | 02:10-13:47| | OKC Thunder Undefeated | 13:47-15:06| | Pelicans in Crisis | 15:06-18:33| | Spurs & Wemby Battle Suns | 23:30-27:28| | Bulls’ Regression | 28:06-30:04| | Knicks News & Josh Hart Injury | 28:48-31:28| | Hawks without Trae Young | 31:38-35:50| | Thunder Predictions/Wrap-up | 35:50-end |

Episode Flow and Tone

The hosts keep things conversational, brisk, and occasionally irreverent—never shying from saying when something is “fake” (Bulls defense), “melted” (Willie Green’s seat), or “a problem” (Ja’s stats). They lean into insider stats, personal observation from games, and speculate widely (trade hypotheticals, coaching changes, etc.), making for an engaging, accessible discussion for NBA fans and newcomers alike.

Summary prepared for those who missed the episode or need a comprehensive recap of the hottest NBA stories discussed on Nov 3, 2025.