Ja Morant Trade Market Expected To Expand In Offseason

The Grizzlies discussed possible Ja Morant trades with a handful of teams prior to February’s deadline, but they didn’t gain traction in those talks, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright, who say that at least one potential trade partner – the Kings – wanted Memphis to attach a first-round pick to the two-time All-Star, prompting the Grizzlies to end their negotiations.

Morant’s trade value has fallen off drastically in recent years due to a combination of health issues, declining production, and off-court transgressions. However, even though he made just 20 appearances in 2025/26, the expectation is that the Grizzlies will be in better position to find a viable deal this offseason, per MacMahon and Wright — even if the return for the veteran guard will fall well short of what the team could’ve gotten a few years ago.

[RELATED: Grizzlies Plan To Trade Ja Morant In Offseason]

As MacMahon and Wright explain, there are a few factors that could help grease the wheels on a Morant deal in the coming months. For one, a suitor will likely feel comfortable about incorporating a ball-dominant player like Morant during the summer rather than midway through the season. Interested teams should also have more time during the offseason to conduct thorough background research on Morant, including going through his medical history.

Additionally, if Giannis Antetokounmpo is traded this summer, teams that miss out on the star forward may feel more compelled to pivot to a Plan B like Morant. And even if Antetokounmpo isn’t dealt, clubs who didn’t meet their expectations in 2025/26 could feel more pressure to roll the dice on a buy-low opportunity.

“There’s certainly going to be hesitation,” one Western Conference director of pro personnel told ESPN, “but there’s going to be several desperate teams.”

“There will be teams that will feel like they didn’t get what they wanted in the draft or free agency, and that’s when something could happen for Ja,” another West executive added.

Here’s more from MacMahon and Wright on Morant:

• Many rival executives were preparing for Morant to become available last offseason after the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane and declined to engage in extension talks with the star point guard, MacMahon and Wright say. The belief that Morant’s time in Memphis is nearing an end only grew after he had an early-season disagreement head coach Tuomas Iisalo and was suspended for one game by the team. That suspension rubbed Morant the wrong way, according to ESPN’s reporters, who say he told “players around the league and some of his former coaches that he isn’t playing for Memphis anymore.”
• The return that the Hawks got when they traded Trae Young to Washington in January – CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, with no draft picks – is the type of package that many league executives view as “reasonable” for Morant, per ESPN’s duo.
• There’s a sense that the Kings could circle back to Morant during the summer if they don’t land a lead guard of the future with their lottery pick, sources familiar with the team’s thinking tell MacMahon and Wright.
• Some executives believe Morant – who is still just 26 years old – is a strong bounce-back candidate in the event of a trade. “Maybe I’m naive, but that type of talent doesn’t grow on trees,” one exec told ESPN. “Especially if he’s going to a different place and he’s motivated: ‘OK, I’ll show you guys.’ I could see some teams talking themselves into it, at least kicking the tires.”