Ja Morant Ruled Out For Season, Grizzlies Offseason Rebuild Predictions

The Memphis Grizzlies have ruled out All-Star point guard Ja Morant for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season.

Jan 21, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at FedExForum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a tough spot. The team has mustered just 24 wins to this point of the season and is approaching playoff elimination. Memphis entered the season with high expectations following a playoff berth last season, but were forced into a rebuild after parting ways with Jaren Jackson Jr. ahead of the trade deadline. 

The Grizzlies sent Jackson to the Utah Jazz, working to stockpile draft capital for long-term assets. Rumors swirled around the team leading up to the trade, as the front office worked to find a suitor for star point guard, Ja Morant. Morant has missed extensive time for the third consecutive season, appearing in just 20 games to this point of the year. 

Morant has dealt with injuries throughout the year, which have plagued his 2026 campaign. He suffered an elbow sprain back in January and has remained sidelined since. On Tuesday, the team officially shut down the two-time All-Star for the rest of the season. He closes the season averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists, tying his career-high. Morant struggled to find consistency from the field, shooting just 41% while connecting on 23.5% of his 3-point attempts. 

Entering the offseason, the Grizzlies are expected to explore their trade options for Morant once again, his injury potentially ending his tenure in Memphis. With the landscape of the team’s future up in the air, let’s look at some future predictions for the former All-NBA selection: 

Grizzlies Should Move Morant, Draft Darryn Peterson To Kickstart Rebuild This Offseason 

Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) controls the ball against St. John's Red Storm guard Dylan Darling (0) in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Objectively, I feel there’s a case to be made for the Grizzlies to hold onto Morant and work to build around him. Once you factor in all the outside noise, such as the trade rumors and Morant’s strained relationship with the team, the reason for moving him becomes much clearer. Memphis may not find the perfect package for the All-Star, but could add valuable draft picks to rebuild this rotation. 

After moving Morant, the team will require a leader in the backcourt to pair up alongside a frontcourt that’s littered with upside. To this point of the season, the team is expected to secure a top-eight pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. With that pick, Memphis could target the likes of Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer, two elite prospects that lay a solid foundation alongside promising pieces like Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and Santi Aldama. 

The team should free up cap space after trading Morant, and could target a talented young wing in free agency. A player like Anfernee Simons could form an enticing off-ball pairing alongside Peterson in this hypothetical, and could fit the team’s price range. The team will enter the 2026-27 season with a largely new-look rotation, but will have a solid foundation laid for the long-term. A season-opener rotation of Peterson, Coward, Simons, Aldama and Edey could be something of a best-case scenario for the Grizzlies, who would find themselves with a youthful, versatile starting five. 

Entering a new era, this hypothetical core could help Memphis return to consistent playoff contention within the next three years. Additional assets could help the team establish themselves as contenders with such a core.