Ja Morant Remains With Grizzlies after NBA Trade Deadline Despite Rumors Linking Star to Bucks, More

Ja Morant isn't going anywhere after all. Well, at least for the next few months.

The Memphis Grizzlies didn't find a trade for the point guard ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, likely in large part because the market for the mercurial star never really materialized.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, "Multiple teams were intrigued by Morant's talent but none were willing to make a serious offer, sources said."

That doesn't come as a major surprise. Morant at his best is one of the NBA's most dynamic and exciting players, but we haven't consistently seen that version of him in recent years. Add in the fact that he's had his share of off-court issues in the past and dustups with the Memphis coaching staff this year, and his trade value is at an all-time low.

That meant teams with interest in Morant were unlikely to offer much in return, hoping to add him at bargain-bin prices and hope a change in scenery brought the best version out of him. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, apparently weren't interested in being low-balled for the former face of their franchise.

But a Morant trade feels inevitable in the summer. The team has already signaled a rebuild around Zach Edey and Cedric Coward is on the way with the trades of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., and Morant would be the final nail in that coffin once he's moved. It's only a matter of time.

The Grizzlies are likely banking on a more robust market for Morant in the summer. But if the already injured Morant doesn't play much more this season—which wouldn't come as a major surprise, as it would aid Memphis' tank ahead of an excellent 2026 NBA draft—it's fair to question whether teams will be willing to offer much more for Morant than they were ahead of the deadline.