Three best landing spots for Ja Morant

The moment the Grizzlies sent Jaren Jackson Jr. packing for peanuts, the writing was on the wall for Ja Morant.

The Memphis Grizzlies have hit a breaking point, deciding to move on from one franchise cornerstone so far, with the other one likely heading out the door next.

Will the team cut the cord before Thursday's deadline, or ride out the storm until the offseason for better offers? From afar, it seems like it's a little too late to wait things out.

If the team was to do right by Ja in a trade, where would his best landing spots be?

Which new team would be the best situation for Ja Morant?

3. Toronto Raptors

Morant jump pass — Dec 26, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) passes the ball as Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) and forward Kelly Olynyk (41) defend during the first quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Raptors trading for Ja Morant could give Toronto a new dynamic for their offense that they don’t exactly have.

Immanuel Quickley is obviously the closest player type, and frankly has been very good for Toronto this year, so good that the trade-off for how much better Ja Morant is at this point becomes a gray area.

Clearly, though, when Morant is still playing at his star level self, he reaches another level that only a handful of stars can reach, and pairing that dynamic individual scoring pick-and-roll creator with the Raptors' depth of intense defenders and big wing talent seems like a great match.

Does the Chris Paul trade change the equation? Slightly, since the Raptors may be just as comfortable with Quickley starting and The Point God orchestrating the second unit.

Still, Morant offers a dynamic talent that theoretically could still take this halfcourt offense to another level come playoff time, and that alone is an intriguing idea worth considering.

If there was a little more certainty around the Giannis Bucks situation, sending Ja to Milwaukee to be the Kyrie to Giannis' LeBron would be a more exciting option with more opportunity for Ja to reform his old self, but the hooplah around both stars sends this option to the honorable mentions.

2. Miami Heat

Morant drives into Adebayo — Apr 6, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots the ball between Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo (4) and center Bam Adebayo (13) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat are relatively desperate to add some big fish here at the deadline to get back into the swing of things for potential playoff run.

While Norman Powell did end up making an All-Star team, and Bam Adebayo is still a versatile defensive anchor franchise cornerstone, the Heat could use a little juice to simply increase the overall talent of their roster.

Ja Morant would bring an instantly recognizable marquee name to the Heat's building, something Pat Riley prides himself on while constantly hunting for stars to bring in house.

The Heat made the Finals after bringing in the polarizing Jimmy Butler; if anyone can get Ja back into peak form, it’s Coach Spoelstra and Heat Culture keeping him in check.

Basketball wise, a slithering Ja Morant weaving around a Bam Adebayo handoff is a match made in heaven for instant offense.

If the Heat are willing to bend their current screenless playstyle to reintegrate some P&R to appease their new star, this could be a complementary match that lifts Miami out of the play-in and back into the playoff race.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

Morant and Edwards dap up — Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards (5) and Grizzlies' Ja Morant (12) hug after the Timberwolves defeated the Grizzlies 141-125 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, April 10, 2025. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The best option for Ja Morant at the deadline this season is Minnesota.

The Timberwolves would give Morant his best chance to succeed both as a team and individually.

Minnesota is the clearest contender of all of Morant’s trade candidates, and the team would likely not have to give up much to acquire him, so the playoff rotation will remain intact while adding an infusion of potential costar talent.

One important note is that Ja Morant would not have to be the guy anymore, he could finally just free to play basketball to his strengths.

Next to Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, Ja becomes an overqualified point guard to run the show, an electric 2nd option scorer who can attack closeouts created from Ant double teams, a reliable playmaker who can initiate offense when Ant is on the bench and who can take turns attacking the paint to bend the defense.

Obviously, the starpower of Ja and Ant together could be really fun for the league, especially if this team stays near the top of the standings, and it could force the national media to take a breather from scathing remarks on these young exciting NBA stars.

Timberwolves games vs the top of the West in Denver and Oklahoma City could get even more exciting than they already are; this Timberwolves team is already so good that adding Ja without breaking up what's working would probably keep working so well that none of that noise will even make a dent.

Honorable Mention: if trading for Ja Morant essentially costs nothing, there are plenty of teams that could talk themselves into Ja being an upgrade in talent: Pistons, Bucks, Suns, Mavs, Pelicans, Kings

Some of those cities are more enticing than others on Ja's side, but playing time would be available.

The Milwaukee Bucks landing Ja Morant for dirt cheap in this moment could be one of those things that works out and helps keep Giannis in the long run, or it could be the last-ditch effort that again blows up in Milwaukee's faces, serving as the final straw for him to leave.

If Giannis is about to walk out the door anyway, the Bucks could find a worse hail mary to try than pairing him with one of the most dynamic scoring creator guards in the league.