Latest Ja Morant Trade Rumors on Heat, Potential Landing Spots Ahead of NBA Deadline
Amid rumors of the Memphis Grizzlies being open to moving two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant, the Miami Heat have reportedly emerged as a potential landing spot.
According to Jake Fischer of the Stein Line, Heat officials have discussed "whether the organization could foster a productive environment for Morant to bounce back to his All-Star best."
Fischer's report comes on the heels of ESPN's Shams Charania reporting this week that the Grizzlies are "entertaining offers" for Morant.
Charania added that "multiple teams" are pursuing Morant ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, and it is believed the Grizzlies want draft picks and young players in return for the 26-year-old guard.
Originally selected second overall by the Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA draft, the Murray State alum hit the ground running at the NBA level, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2020.
He followed that up with All-Star selections in 2022 and 2023, and he was undoubtedly at his best over the course of those two seasons, combining to average 26.8 points, 7.4 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers made and 1.1 steals per game.
Things have been much rockier for Morant since then, as he was limited to nine games in 2023-24 and 50 games in 2024-25 due to a combination of injuries and suspensions related to flashing a gun on Instagram Live.
So far this season, Morant has played in only 18 games because of injuries, as well as a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
Even when he has played, Morant has not been as productive as usual this season, averaging 19.0 points, 7.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 steal per contest, while shooting a career-worst 40.1 percent from the field and 20.8 percent from beyond the arc.
At 20-17, the Heat are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference, which is a better spot than they were in last season when they had to go through the postseason play-in tournament to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed with a 37-45 record.
Led by Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Norman Powell, the Heat have a solid core, but they also boast significant depth that they could draw from in a potential trade for Morant.
Along with draft picks, the Heat could offer promising, young players such as Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, Nikola Jović and Kasparas Jakučionis.
While there is no guarantee Morant would be a good fit in Miami, Erik Spoelstra is widely regarded as one of the best head coaches in the NBA, so he may be capable of getting the most out of the supremely talented guard.
