Will Ja Morant Be Traded by Grizzlies? NBA Execs Reportedly 'Circled Like Vultures'

Even though Ja Morant's on-court value is a subject of debate, opposing teams were eager to explore potential trade opportunities for the Memphis Grizzlies star after a recent disagreement with head coach Tuomas Iisalo.

Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, rival executives "circled like vultures" to conduct their due diligence to see if Morant was going to become available.

Scotto added Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman has declined all trade inquiries since the situation between Morant and Iisalo, but the situation is being "carefully monitored" by opposing teams.

Memphis suspended Morant one game for conduct detrimental to the team after the two-time All-Star seemed frustrated with Iisalo during his postgame press conference following a 117-112 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 31.

Per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com, "voices were raised" in the locker room after that game when Iisalo "singled Morant out for his lack of effort and leadership."

Any potential trade for Morant likely got put on hold when he suffered a calf strain in the first quarter of a Nov. 15 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Grizzlies announced two days later that he would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Morant's value is hard to parse out because he wasn't having a strong season prior to the injury. His 17.9 points per game are his fewest since he was a rookie, and he is shooting career-lows in field-goal percentage (35.9) and three-point percentage (16.7) in 12 starts.

Availability has been an issue for Morant throughout much of his career, but especially since the start of the 2023-24 season. He played a total of 59 games over the past two years entering the 2025-26 campaign.

Money is also a potential obstacle since Morant is making $39.4 million this season and is owed $87.1 million over two years after 2025-26.

If the price to acquire Morant dipped low enough, it's easy to see why opposing teams would want to make the move. At his best, he is one of the most dynamic point guards in the NBA.

With the Grizzlies currently sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 6-12 record, it wouldn't be a surprise if they decide to start over by taking whatever they can get for Morant prior to the trade deadline if they keep falling further down the standings.