Ja Morant Trade Would Threaten Timberwolves' Title Hopes Amid NBA Rumors

The Minnesota Timberwolves have played in the last two NBA Western Conference Finals, fueled by the play of superstar Anthony Edwards.

They have come up short in their pursuit of the organization's first NBA Finals trip, but the arrow has consistently pointed upward, thanks to Edwards' ascension to elite status and proven success against era-defining legends such as LeBron James and Steph Curry in postseason play.

Could the team use another piece to really put them over the top as legitimate contenders to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy? Sure, but it is not necessarily a "need" given how well they have played once they have cashed their playoff ticket.

That has not stopped the front office from closely monitoring the situation with Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies, per The Athletic's Sam Amick.

Morant was suspended for the November 2 game against Toronto for conduct detrimental to the team. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the discipline came after what the organization deemed an "inappropriate and dismissive" response to head coach Tuomas Iisalo questioning his leadership.

Add to that two recent instances in which Morant has clearly expressed frustration to the media and you have a situation that appears to be deteriorating rather than improving, understandably opening the door to speculation that the Grizzlies may be in the market to trade a player still considered a superstar in the NBA.

The team has not outwardly expressed any desire to that, nor has it outright said the 26-yaer-old point guard is available. Still, the Timberwolves are one of two teams, the other being the Sacramento Kings, who will keep a close eye on things in Memphis and potentially jump at the chance to bring Morant aboard.

But should they? The answer is a resounding "no."

Minnesota is coming off consecutive seasons of making the Western Conference Finals. They have Edwards as the face of the franchise through the 2028-29 season, at the very least, and have consistently made the sort of moves that surround him with players who play to his strengths.

Bringing in a ball-dominant guard in Morant would make for an awkward fit and potentially sew the seeds for dissent among two major superstar-caliber players. Add to that diminishing stats since the Grizzlies star's 2021-22 season, including a seven-point-per-game drop-off in the four years since, and you have plenty of on-the-court reasons to not make the deal.

Off the floor is another issue.

Morant has made plenty of headlines in recent years, rarely for the right reasons.

The Murray State product was suspended for eight games for flashing a firearm during an Instagram live feed while intoxicated and 25 games for posing with a firearm in another live feed.

He told reporters upon his return, "I feel like I learned some stuff about myself that I did during that process. Very eye-opening. It kind of gave me a new look on life. How I go about my days. How I carry myself," but was fined $75,000 last November for using "his aiming-a-gun gesture," despite being warned previously by the league not to.

Now, the reported flippant attitude to a coach and mounting frustration with his current team.

The Timberwolves are not an organization with a rich history of winning. Their last two playoff runs were the deepest since the 2003-04 season, a height they did not reach before that point.

It is a team that should capitalize on the upward momentum it has, continue to surround Edwards with players who fit the scheme but also allow him to be the facilitator of the offense, not bring in a questionable basketball fit and potential chemistry-killer, with a recent history of creating more drama than playoff appearances.