Inside The Heat

Should the Miami Heat consider a trade for the Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant?

Alex Toledo|
Oct 24, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

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After he was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies for one game due to "conduct detrimental to the team," which sounds familiar for some reason, the latest buzz around star guard Ja Morant seems is that there is "tension" between the two-time All-Star and his head coach, with other teams reportedly monitoring the situation, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The 26 year-old, who made the All-NBA Second Team in 2022 after averaging 27.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds (on 49 percent shooting from the field, 34 percent from three) for a 56-26 Grizzlies team that made it to the Conference Semifinals, has seen his production steadily decline since then. This season, he's averaging 20.8 points, 6.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds, converting on 40 percent of his field goals and 15.6 percent of his threes.

ESPN's Hoop Collective podcast, featuring longtime reporters Brian Windhorst, Tim McMahon and Tim Bontemps, don't believe Morant will have a robust trade market if the Grizzlies were to consider moving him.

Could this be a potential opportunity for the Miami Heat to pounce on a distressed star player as they have in years past?

Well, one sportsbook has the Heat as the 2nd most likely team to land Morant in a trade, (5/1 odds, behind the Sacramento Kings at 4/1 and just ahead of the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors).

One trade idea, (via Bleacher Report), suggests the Heat trade All-Star guard Tyler Herro, who made his first All-Star team last season after averaging 24 points, five assists and five rebounds, along with a trade exception for Morant.

This trade would technically work, but with the Heat currently sitting about $1.6 million below the luxury tax threshold they're determined to avoid, things get particularly tough. Morant makes more than $8 million more than Herro will this season, meaning this transaction would not only make the Heat a luxury tax team, but also a first apron team.

If they were to throw in Simone Fontecchio, (currently hitting 51 percent of his threes), and his $8.3 million contract, the Heat would remain about $1.5 million below the luxury tax line. Even then, however, despite the talk about Morant's supposedly depleted trade market, one can easily see the Grizzlies asking for some sort of combination of draft picks and young players for their franchise player.

Despite the attractiveness of a player like Morant, who is known for being able to get to the basket at will, (although those numbers have also dropped over the years) and play-make at a high level, it was already hard to see a Herro-for-Morant swap given the two players differentiating trajectories at the moment. This likely becomes even more unlikely if they have to put together a larger trade package.

Another factor to consider is Morant being owed $136 million over the next three seasons, while Herro is up for an extension this summer, of which he's eligible for up to four years, $207 million.

Moreover, the Heat just made news over the weekend for bringing on former Grizzlies assistant coach Noah LaRoche, who is at least partially responsible for their faster-paced, higher-powered offense this season despite being without Herro the entire time and Norman Powell for half of the games.

LaRoche was credited with a similar playstyle shift last season that ultimately ended with him and head coach Taylor Jenkins being let go, with there being many rumors that Morant was not a fan of the system, as it took the ball out of his hands more than he liked in a system featuring significantly fewer pick-and-rolls.

Interestingly enough, however, the Grizzlies are one of the teams the Heat have completed the most trades with, having traded with them six times since 2005. The NBA's trade deadline this season is Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.

Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at toledoalexander22@gmail.com. Twitter: @tropicalblanket

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Alex Toledo
ALEX TOLEDO

Alex, who was born in Miami, is also a producer, co-host and reporter for the Five on the Floor podcast. He has covered the Heat and NBA since 2019 as a season credential holder. He studied journalism at Florida International University.

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