Pelicans' Reported Interest in Ja Morant Misses the Mark

While acquiring a talent like Morant is intriguing, it may be a long-term mistake for New Orleans.

Oct 22, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts toward New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

An All-Star guard could be on the move for the trade deadline, and the New Orleans Pelicans are surprisingly a team reportedly interested in him. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto unveiled the shocking revelation that New Orleans asked about the potential asking price for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who, as recently reported by NBA insider Shams Charania, is being considered in a potential trade by the Grizzlies for the first time in his tenure there.

Scotto writes, “Somewhat surprisingly, the New Orleans Pelicans have inquired about Memphis’ asking price for Morant in a potential buy-low scenario, league sources told HoopsHype. Meanwhile, the Pelicans have been telling rival NBA teams that rookie starting point guard Jeremiah Fears and rookie center Derik Queen are untouchable in trade talks.”

Ja Morant's Potential Fit in New Orleans Is Highly Questionable

A deal for Morant, most likely, has to include one of their higher-priced guards, like Jordan Poole or Dejounte Murray, to match salaries, and some pick compensation or additional players like Yves Missi or Jordan Hawkins. The initial prospect of a talent like Morant sounds enticing next to Zion Williamson or Trey Murphy III, but the fit isn’t ideal considering the Pelicans' current roster construction.

New Orleans already leads the league in points in the paint at 58.2 points per game. Where the team struggles mightily is three-point shooting, where they are near the bottom of the league in attempts and makes.

Morant doesn’t solve the 3 vs 2 math problem that haunts the Pelicans during every contest. The former No. 2 overall pick is shooting just 20% from beyond the arc this season, the lowest in his career. There is also the durability aspect to consider for a player who has missed significant time over the last few seasons. He’s missed the last five games with a calf injury and 21 games in total this year. That is on the heels of playing just nine games during the 2023-2024 season after a shoulder injury ended his year. Last season, Morant missed 32 games during the regular season and Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs due to injury.

New Orleans is all too familiar with an injury-prone player in Williamson, who was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft alongside Morant, whose extensive injury history gives teams pause when considering acquiring that player. Both players are immensely talented, but injuries and off-court distractions from both should give the Pelicans a long pause when considering pairing the duo together.

Acquiring Morant would also derail the fast track to giving rookie Jeremiah Fears the quality playing time necessary when preparing for the team’s future. Not to mention, with rumors circulating that Herb Jones and the Los Angeles Lakers have “mutual interest,” losing a defensive standout like that while acquiring Morant only adds to the Pelicans' defensive issues.

The net-positive would be the jolt of excitement the city would get from having two marquee, electrifying players like Morant and Williamson play together. It would instantly be one of the best duos in franchise history, and while this season is already done for the Pelicans because of their awful record, it would bring a sense of hope to the team for what a healthy Pelicans squad could do in the Western Conference next season and beyond. The pair were AAU teammates in South Carolina, so a reunion in the league would be history repeating itself.

A move of this magnitude would suggest the Pelicans are not happy with the status quo of the last few years in the Big Easy. The Pelicans have already fired former head coach Willie Green, and bringing in a talent like Morant signals the team is trying to win now. Whether that manifests itself before the deadline remains to be seen, but the inquiry should bring both intrigue and trepidation to the franchise looking to get out of the Western Conference cellar.