Point guard Ja Morant is coming off a controversial season that ended with the Memphis Grizzlies expecting to trade him. Memphis already traded both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane for strong trade packages to boost their future draft picks. Many believe that Jackson was traded due to the Grizzlies knowing they’d trade Morant for weaker value in the offseason.
However, NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson claimed that Morant is starting to change his tune about his unhappiness in Memphis:
“The Timberwolves are aggressively searching for an elite, veteran point guard to pair with franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards. While many league insiders suggested Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant was the target, sources close to Morant have repeatedly shut that down, reiterating his commitment to Memphis.”
Previous reports claimed that Morant was miserable with the Grizzlies all season and looked forward to a move this summer. Morant even made it public to the media that he felt he was losing his joy to play basketball in the increasingly toxic situation. This report shows a huge change that could see Morant content remaining in Memphis and giving the franchise another chance. Time will tell if the Grizzlies have any desire to retain the former All-Star.
Why Ja Morant Changed His Mind
The biggest thing working in Memphis’ favor is that they overperformed in the NBA Draft Lottery for a better pick than expected. A top three pick will give the Grizzlies a potential new superstar of the future with names like Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson likely available.
Morant sees a vision to team up with the draft pick and create something special for the Grizzlies. Despite all the issues on and off the court for Morant, this is the only NBA franchise he’s ever called home and would be making a massive life change in a trade.
The end of this season saw Morant being professional and showing up to games to support his teammates, while being ruled out for months. Other recent trades have shown that stars getting traded could lead to failure and harming their career after leaving a more comfortable situation.
Grizzlies Have Major Decision To Make
Memphis will have to make the best decision for their franchise when weighing the pros and cons of trading Morant. One huge variable is that Morant currently holds low trade value, and reports claim that even getting one future first round draft pick is not guaranteed.
Morant must truly commit to the franchise if the Grizzlies opt to keep him and go into next season with him on the roster. Memphis has already received more than enough future assets from their previous two trades to warrant retaining Morant in hopes of winning next year.
Teams like the Miami Heat or Minnesota Timberwolves could offer trade packages, but the best player they could get is Tyler Herro. The Grizzlies must decide between keeping a point guard they once contended with as the face of the franchise or moving on to completely start a new era with their high draft pick.
Ja Morant Hoping To Stay With Grizzlies After Tense Season