Could the Grizzlies Trade Ja Morant This Offseason?

In the wake of the Luka Dončić trade, fans and pundits have stopped making any assumptions about the future of NBA players.

Big names now appear more fair game than ever before, as was evident by the amount of current and former All-Stars who saw themselves moved during the trade deadline.

Is Ja Morant next?

When the offseason begins, several teams could look to make big moves, for a variety of reasons. Some teams might initiate a rebuild, others will try to accelerate their own timeline, and then there are those who will try to make a big splash without really knowing why.

With Ja Morant having yet to crack 300 games in his NBA, which is spanning six years, the Memphis Grizzlies would have an argument for trading him if they so choose.

While the point guard is one of the most explosive and exciting young players in today’s game, Morant has also seen his production slide, and that right on the heels of a controversial year with multiple gun incidents.

Now, to his credit, Morant has seemingly turned his own narrative around. At 25, the 6’3 guard is coming into his own, as he seems to have matured.

That, in some ways could be grounds to trade him while his value seems relatively high.

Grizzlies general manager, Zach Kleiman, appears almost aggressively against the idea of trading Morant, calling the notion “fantasy”. Of course, in today’s skeptical world of sports, the word of a general manager means little, especially if a good offer comes in.

Memphis could ask for the moon

There’s little merit in Memphis making outgoing calls on Morant, unless it’s to seek a significant upgrade at point guard.

Picking up the phone, however, is another story. Could the Grizzlies quietly be gathering intel on what they could get back in a Morant deal, as to gauge the market?

More than likely, they already have. Front offices live off data, and understanding the worth of your most important trade asset will always benefit any organization simply in the way of having information.

It also goes a long way in asking for a high return, especially if the organization is disinclined to entertain a trade. Sometimes, outside teams simply have to make an overwhelming offer to even get into a genuine conversation, and that’s quite likely to be the situation in Memphis.

Does a Morant trade make sense?

While the lack of availability is a real issue, and the Grizzlies could get an absolute haul for moving off their franchise point guard, you have to wonder what player makes sense to target in such an event.

The only obvious upgrade, if we limit names to other point guards, would be the aforementioned Dončić himself, and that’s highly unlikely.

Furthermore, Morant is on a similar timeline as his key teammates, such as Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane. Pivoting off of him, without getting a player return to fill the position, and perhaps without aligning age, would appear pointless.

This isn’t to say Morant couldn’t be moved, but rather that he specifically, in regards to how the Grizzlies are structured around him, would be a difficult player to replace, especially if you trade outside position.

In a league where “never say never” is bound to become the new norm, a Ja Morant trade isn’t expected to be part of that ideology.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.