Ja Morant's Trade Market Questioned by NBA Execs Amid Grizzlies' Firing of HC Jenkins

If the Memphis Grizzlies decide to trade two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant during the offseason, some within the NBA are not convinced that his market would be robust.

According to Sam Amick, Fred Katz and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, two anonymous league executives "questioned the demand for Morant in the trade market."

The immediate future of the Grizzlies as currently constructed came into question Friday when the organization made the surprising decision to fire head coach Taylor Jenkins despite Memphis holding the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with nine regular-season games remaining.

Morant, 25, went second overall to the Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA draft, and it seemed as though he was poised to be a franchise cornerstone for many years to come.

He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and in his third season, he was named an All-Star for the first time and finished seventh in NBA MVP voting.

Morant followed that up with another All-Star nod and a 12th-place finish in MVP voting the following season.

Things started to go south during the 2023-24 campaign when he was suspended a total of 33 games for twice flashing a gun during Instagram Live videos. He later suffered a shoulder injury that limited him to nine games that season.

Injuries have continued to be an issue for Morant this season. He has played in just 43 games and is currently being hampered by a hamstring ailment.

Still, he has been productive when healthy, averaging 22.3 points, 7.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers made and 1.2 steals per game. However, he is shooting a career-low 44.9 percent from the field and just 29.1 percent from beyond the arc.

The Grizzlies have a deep and talented roster that includes Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama and Rookie of the Year candidate Jaylen Wells, which has helped them remain a winning team despite Morant being in and out of the lineup.

Because of that, it could conceivably make the Grizzlies more open to moving Morant and building around the rest of their core, but general manager Zach Kleiman shut down that idea back in February, saying:

“I can't blame other 'executives' for fantasizing about us trading Ja. But it's just that—fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I'm not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball."

Memphis signed Morant to a five-year, $197.23 contract extension in 2022, meaning he is under contract for three more seasons beyond this one.

Any team that trades for Morant would be taking on a significant financial commitment and some risk given his injury history, which may be why there is skepticism within the league regarding his value.

Morant's talent is undeniable, though, and the Grizzlies may be best keeping him and hoping he remains healthy moving forward rather than settling for a lesser offer.