DHJ Quick Take: Grizzlies Aggressively Shopping Ja Morant with No Takers
- High Motivation, Zero Market: The Memphis Grizzlies are “highly motivated” to part ways with star guard Ja Morant this summer, but the front office is struggling immensely to find a team willing to take him on.
- Massive Salary with Zero Leverage: The 26-year-old playmaker lacks a no-trade clause, giving Memphis complete control over his destination; however, his hefty contract—fearing $42.1 million next season and $44 million in 2027-28—is proving difficult to move.
- Elite Stats vs. Limited Team Success: Despite boasting elite individual numbers, including an impressive 26.0 points and 8.1 assists per game in the playoffs, Morant’s trade value is weighed down by a lack of deep postseason runs, having advanced past the first round just once back in 2022.
The Memphis Grizzlies are “highly motivated” to trade Ja Morant, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
However, the Grizzlies can’t find a team that wants him.
The Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic last offseason and sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at this year’s trade deadline. The final step to move on from the previous era is to trade Morant, but it’s easier said than done for Memphis.
Morant will make $42.1 million next season and $44 million in the 2027-28 season, the last year of his contract. The 26-year-old doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can’t control where the Grizzlies trade him this summer.
In 20 games for Memphis this past season, Morant averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per contest. He was the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year and the 2021-22 Most Improved Player of the Year.
A two-time All-Star, Morant holds career averages of 22.4 points and 7.4 assists per game in the regular season and 26.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game in the playoffs. He’s only been past the first round of the playoffs once. That was back in 2022.
The Grizzlies conducted their 2025-26 exit interviews on April 13 and Morant didn’t speak. We have seen the last of Morant as a member of the Memphis organization, that’s for certain.
If the Grizzlies do the expected and trade Morant this summer, his best game with the organization was on February 28, 2022, against the San Antonio Spurs. Morant had a career-high 52 points that night.
The Grizzlies selected Cameron Boozer with the third overall pick in this year’s draft. They also got Karim López from the Detroit Pistons.
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