Ja Morant Reportedly Linked to Heat After Desmond Bane Trade amid Latest NBA Rumors

The Memphis Grizzlies stunned the NBA world when they traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic on Sunday, but moving Ja Morant would be an even more shocking move.

While it might not happen, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reported on his Good Word podcast (45:15 mark) Monday that Morant was previously linked to the Miami Heat.

"Don't think I'm breaking news here, but in the middle of the whole Jimmy Butler saga last year, one name that multiple league sources brought up to me was, 'Hey, you might want to check on Ja Morant in Miami,'" Goodwill said. 

"And I didn't understand the iterations of it. I was like, this is going to be a really complicated trade—A, because of Jimmy's extension; B, because of Ja's long money. And there were iterations of Ja and Desmond Bane being shipped out, which sounds like it could be true, considering Desmond Bane was just traded yesterday."

While Bane was a key piece of Memphis' core, the team got a haul in return with the Magic sending guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony along with four first-round picks and a pick swap in the deal.

Ultimately, the trade could signal one of two things for the Grizzlies.

Either they are starting a complete rebuilding process and may look to trade Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. as well, or they are just hoping to build around those two pieces and become a contender in the Western Conference. Adding two potential contributors in Caldwell Pope and Anthony should help them remain competitive before the draft picks even become a factor.

Which direction the front office chooses will impact whether Morant is traded, and other teams are surely aware of that as well. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Sunday that "the whole league is now going to investigate" whether Morant will be available.

Miami could be a potential landing spot, as adding his star power alongside Bam Adebayo could be a quick path to relevance in an Eastern Conference that may be wide open next season.

However, ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported "the Grizzlies are not looking to deal either of their two remaining franchise cornerstones" and are instead looking to give Jackson an extension. What's more, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported the Grizzlies "still firmly view Ja Morant as the face of that franchise."

That won't stop rumors and discourse regarding the two-time All-Star's future in Memphis, but all indications seem to suggest the team isn't looking to trade him.

Considering Morant is just 25 years old, he can remain the focal point of the franchise for seasons to come with potential new star power around him if the front office uses its new collection of draft picks wisely.

But if there is a change of heart, the Heat could be waiting to make a blockbuster trade.