From Memphis’ perspective, they are willing to trade the two-time All-Star who is averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists this season. They want to get some value out of any deal.
Other teams don’t view the trade for Ja Morant that way, his injury and suspension history has limited him to just 20 games this season, and he hasn’t played six consecutive games in three years. Add in the fact that he’s owed $87 million over the next two years, and teams would only be willing to take him if it was essentially a salary dump, or if the Grizzlies included a draft pick or something like that. Jake Fischer writes about this in the Stein Line Newsletter on Substack.
advertise
“No matter how seriously the Grizzlies explore options for sending him elsewhere, there isn’t much of a trade market for Memphis’ Ja Morant.
“Sources say Sacramento has shown only modest interest. I’m also told Miami is only asking about Morant’s idea of ​​acquiring him in a deal similar to Washington’s asset-light acquisition of Trae Young. Sources say the Heat were not actively pursuing Morant in the days leading up to the deadline because Antetokounmpo had become their primary target.”
Morant will be back on the trade market this summer, and one option could be a desperate Milwaukee Bucks looking for a big deal to incentivize Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension and stay in Milwaukee.
“For all the legitimate questions about suitability, one scenario that must be ruled out is the prospect of Milwaukee trading Morant. Many teams came into the deadline believing the Bucks’ interest in Morant was genuine … whether to make him the eventual successor to Antetokounmpo and the face of the franchise, or because they believed they could actually make the pairing of Giannis and Jaa work.”
Morant’s performance in Milwaukee may seem strange, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. It’s going to be a crazy summer in the NBA, and Morant wearing a Bucks jersey won’t be the craziest thing we’ll see.
