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Where things stand on Grizzlies, Ja Morant trade talks

The Memphis Grizzlies have openly been looking to trade former All-NBA point guard Ja Morant since before the 2026 trade deadline. Here is an update on where things stand in the saga.
Landon Speck|
Dec 15, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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Memphis Grizzlies

The Athletic's Sam Amick dropped two pieces of information on Thursday and Friday on Ja Morant, saying Memphis is "hopeful that Morant will be some team's plan B", and giving a guess on where he could ultimately end up.

"League sources say the Grizzlies are hopeful that Morant will be some team's plan B when the dust settles on (Giannis) Antetokounmpo's situation," Amick said.

These are the first "updates" on the Morant situation since The Stein Line's Jake Fischer reported on April 30 that the Grizzlies "will find a wider trade market" for Morant this summer than they did at the February trade deadline.

Still, there is nothing concrete on what Morant's fate could be. Some fans have discussed the possibility of Morant returning in 2026-27. While there is a case to be made for it, it still seems unlikely, with the team openly shopping Morant going back to before the trade deadline last season and holding him out of season ticket holder events at the end of the season.

The draft could also make the situation cloudier. The Grizzlies are likely to draft Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson with the third overall pick, who could both take the role of being the primary facilitator of the Grizzlies' offense. Peterson, especially, is equipped to immediately be the lead guard for his team as a rookie.

Morant's value could also be directly affected by what happens in the draft. There could be up to ten guards drafted in the top 20, including six in the top ten, potentially.

It is fair to say it could benefit the Grizzlies to trade Morant before the draft begins on June 23. His value could be lower when teams fill guard needs in the first round, so getting it done before that happens makes sense.

The obvious hang-up is the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. It seems like the entire league is waiting to see what happens with the two-time MVP before any other moves happen. The Bucks reportedly would like to get a deal done before the draft, which directly coincides with the Grizzlies' timeline to maximize whatever is left of Morant's value.

Chris Haynes reported Wednesday that the Antetokounmpo negotiations could continue past the draft. That would be the worst-case scenario for Memphis' chances of trading Morant.

Amick also reported that the Miami Heat have had interest in Morant.

"The Heat, in particular, have long been known to have serious interest in the 26-year-old, two-time All-Star," Amick said.

It is fair to be skeptical of Miami's potential interest, however, due to the Heat being the frontrunner for Antetokounmpo.

The feeling is that the Grizzlies are still likely to trade Morant before the start of the season. As of right now, no one has a great idea as to when exactly it could happen.

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Landon Speck
LANDON SPECK

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