When the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to Orlando for a package headlined by four first-round picks last summer after winning 48 games in 2024/25, it didn't necessarily suggest that Memphis was throwing the towel in on the '25/26 season.
Carrying Bane, Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr. on maximum-salary or near-max deals probably wasn't viable over the long term for Memphis, given how much of the cap those three players would take up. So it made some sense that the team would sell high on Bane, the least accomplished member of that trio, with an eye toward hanging onto and building around its pair of two-time All-Stars, Morant and Jackson.
With the benefit of hindsight though, the Bane trade looks like the first step in a full-fledged roster reset in Memphis.
The Grizzlies got off to a 4-11 start in 2025/26, with Morant and Tuomas Iisalo clashing over the head coach's offensive system and center Zach Edey's season debut delayed while he recovered from an offseason ankle procedure. And while Edey's return helped - the team went 7-4 in games he played - it didn't last long. His season ended on December 7 after just 11 games due to ongoing issues with that surgically repaired ankle, which required a second procedure in March.
Several other Grizzlies regulars besides Edey battled health issues over the course of the season, as Morant was limited to 20 games and only three players on the roster - young building blocks Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells, and Cedric Coward - made more than 55 appearances. With a shorthanded Memphis squad slumping again ahead of the trade deadline, the front office, led by executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman, decisively pivoted toward a rebuild by trading Jackson to Utah in an eight-player blockbuster that saw the Grizzlies acquire three future first-round picks.
Memphis hasn't entirely cut ties with its former "big three" of Morant, Jackson, and Bane, but that's only because the market for Morant was tepid in February. The former Rookie of the Year had battled calf and elbow issues, and even when he was available, he wasn't performing anywhere near his former All-NBA level. Throw in concerns about his contract and his past off-court behavior and it meant the Grizzlies would be selling at an absolute low if they'd made a deal this past season. Even after reportedly lowering their asking price, they couldn't find an offer worth taking.
Moving Morant at the deadline would've given the Grizzlies a relatively clean slate entering the summer, allowing them to head into the offseason armed with multiple 2026 first-round picks (including No. 3 overall) and without any pricey multiyear contracts on their books. They've still got those first-rounders and appear focused on building for the future, but Morant's uncertain outlook is a major issue looming over the team that may require resolution sooner rather than later.
The Grizzlies' Offseason Plans
The likelihood of a Morant trade this offseason will hinge in large part on what sort of offers Memphis gets, but it will also depend on how the 26-year-old feels about continuing his career with the Grizzlies. He spoke in January about being a "loyal guy" and publicly expressed a desire to remain with the only NBA team he has ever played for, but there have been rumblings suggesting that he hasn't privately conveyed those same sentiments.
