Ja Morant's Stance on NBA Trade Rumors Revealed in Report Amid Grizzlies Exit Buzz
In the wake of the Memphis Grizzlies at least willing to exploring trades involving Ja Morant, the two-time All-Star is reportedly intrigued by the idea of playing elsewhere.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Morant is "quietly" open to a trade and the Grizzlies' decision to look into deals is "believed to be a mutually agreed-upon path forward."
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Friday that the Grizzlies were entertaining offers for Morant leading up to the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
If the Grizzlies are going to trade Morant, Charania noted they would likely be seeking draft picks and young players in return.
The bad news for Memphis is the market for point guards on expensive contracts right now appears to be very soft. Trae Young was just traded by the Atlanta Hawks this week to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
Young and Morant have very similar trade profiles, though there is a difference in money. Young is in the final guaranteed season of his current deal with a $49 million player option for 2026-27. Morant has two more guaranteed years left on his contract after this season with salaries of $42.2 million in 2026-27 and $44.9 million in 2027-28.
Morant is a year younger than Young, but there are more concerns about his availability. He has missed at least 20 games in five consecutive seasons, including the 2025-26 campaign.
The offensive production for Morant has also dipped this season. He's on pace to have his lowest shooting percentage (40.1) and three-point percentage (20.8) in his NBA career.
With the Grizzlies sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference at 16-22, there's no harm in exploring the market for Morant. If a deal were to materialize, he could be energized by the opportunity for a fresh start with a new organization.
