It Might Be Time for the Grizzlies to Trade Ja Morant

The Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant saga looks like it will be ending soon.

Ja Morant has been the face of the Memphis Grizzlies for years, and at one point, it looked like he was going to be the new face of the entire league. While healthy, Ja has been one of the most athletic and electrifying young stars in the NBA. Over the last few years, things have drastically changed. Not only has he dealt with significant injuries, but he has also faced off-court issues that have led to multiple suspensions.

This season is no different. Ja Morant has only played 20 games this year, and he’s now missed 18 straight with a left elbow injury. His talent has never been in doubt. The durability, however, continues to be. And for the past three seasons, staying on the floor has been a challenge. The best ability in the NBA is availability.

Memphis Is Already Building Around a Young Core

Dec 5, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) shoots as Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Trading Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline and moving on from Desmond Bane last offseason weren’t win-now moves. These moves have suggested that the Grizzlies are in a rebuild. They need to recalibrate towards a flexible future and focus on draft positioning.

The Grizzlies have a young core, and due to so many injuries, they have been forced to develop their young players like GG Jackson and Jaylen Wells. The Grizzlies are entering a pivotal stage of their rebuild. They have a ton of draft capital after trading Jackson and Bane, and they are positioned to add some more young talent this offseason in a very highly anticipated draft.

Morant was a star in his prime, but the Grizzlies are clearly several years away from seriously competing again. If Memphis is going to commit to a full rebuild, it makes little sense to keep a max-level player whose timeline doesn’t align with the rest of the roster.

Morant’s Contract Is a Major Factor

Ja Morant still has 2 years left on his contract, and he is set to make $42,166,510 followed by $44,886,930 the year after. That is a massive amount of money for a team that is currently rebuilding and developing young players.

If the Grizzlies decide to keep Morant, they are going to be stuck in the worst place in sports, the middle. At best, they will be a 9 or 10 seed in the West and will be fighting for the Play-in Tournament. Moving his contract would give the Grizzlies much more flexibility while allowing them to continue building around their young core and future draft picks.

The Grizzlies Already Tested the Market

This situation may already be heading toward an inevitable conclusion.

The Grizzlies were actively exploring trade options for Morant and were listening to offers ahead of the deadline, but they couldn’t find a suitor. The problem was that Morant’s trade value is currently lower than expected. Between injuries and uncertainty surrounding his long-term availability, teams were hesitant to give up major assets.

I can’t see a team offering any first-round picks to the Grizzlies this summer. A trade similar to the Trae Young deal could be the solution. The Hawks didn’t receive any draft capital, which was a bit surprising. If they follow this path, the Grizzlies might not receive significant draft capital in return, but instead, they could bring back expiring contracts and financial flexibility, allowing them to fully reset the roster.

A Full Reset May Be the Best Move

If the Grizzlies are serious about rebuilding, the path forward may require one of the toughest decisions a franchise can make. But then again, it already seems like the writing is on the wall.