Latest Ja Morant Trade Rumors on Grizzlies' Updated Asking Price After Jaren Jackson Jr. Deal

After shipping away star big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz in an eight-player trade on Tuesday, the Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly gearing up to move on from their other star player.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Grizzlies are motivated to trade star guard Ja Morant, with "multiple rival teams" saying this week that their "asking price for Morant has dropped dramatically."

Memphis drafted Morant with the second overall pick in 2019, and he quickly became the face of the franchise. However, his effectiveness on the court has declined in recent years amid a string of injuries. In his 20 appearances this season, he averaged 19.5 points, his lowest mark since his second year in the NBA in 2020-21.

Trading Morant would mark the end of what was once an impressive young core for the Grizzlies, but Fischer noted that team officials are "eager now to just move on from [their] longtime Face of the Franchise to truly launch their rebuild around second-year big man Zach Edey and rookie swingman Cedric Coward."

The Grizzlies are so eager to get rid of Morant that they've reportedly been "telling potential trade partners that they are open to taking on long-term salary if it can deliver additional quality draft capital." Memphis has already stockpiled seven first-round draft picks by trading Jackson and swingman Desmond Bane, the latter of whom was sent to the Orlando Magic over the offseason.

Fischer went on to name the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors as potential trade partners for the Grizzlies, with Kings big man Domantas Sabonis also expected to be on the move.

"Perhaps that leads to some sort of multi-team structure involving both the Grizzlies, Kings and Raptors to help Toronto with its long-running Sabonis pursuit," Fischer explained. "There is a belief among some teams that the Grizz, if properly compensated on the draft pick front, would absorb the contract of ailing Raptors big man Jakob Poeltl. Would they really?"

It sounds like Morant's time in Memphis will come to an end by Thursday's trade deadline, so many will be watching to see what the Grizzlies can get for shipping him away.