Ja Morant expressed his desire to remain with the Grizzlies last month. The franchise could explore possible trades for the All-Star this summer.
Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant will remain with the team after Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, several teams showed interest in the two-time All-Star’s talent, but none were willing to make a serious offer for Morant, who is currently out with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.
The Grizzlies began receiving calls about Morant before the January trade deadline, according to Charania. However, league sources indicated lukewarm interest in the point guard, in part due to his availability issues. Morant has only played in 79 games since the start of the 2023-24 season and has missed 20 of the team’s 49 games this season due to suspensions and a long list of injuries.
Morant is averaging 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds, posting career-worst numbers in field goal percentage (41.0%) and three-point percentage (23.5%). The team announced on January 24 that the point guard would be re-evaluated in three weeks following his latest injury.
Two days before the trade deadline, Memphis sent Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. to Utah in a deal that netted them three first-round draft picks, plus Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks and Georges Niang. This deal generated a $28.8 million salary exception, the largest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
It seemed like this trade would prepare the Grizzlies for a roster shakeup and eventual rebuild, but the club was unable to deal Morant, who has two years and $87 million left on his contract after this season.
Morant, 26, expressed his desire to remain in Memphis last month. The Grizzlies could explore potential trades for Morant again this summer.
“I have the logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be,” Morant said, referring to a tattoo of the Grizzlies logo on his back. “If anyone here knows me, they know I’m a very loyal person.”
