In recent days, the NBA internet has been running rampant with speculation and potential trade ideas involving disgruntled Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant, who was recently suspended by the Grizzlies for conduct detrimental to the team.
Recent reporting has suggested that teams across the league’s landscape are closely monitoring Morant’s status in Memphis, as a trade has started to feel not only possible, but likely.
However, we might need to pump the brakes. In a recent article for Sports Illustrated, NBA insider Chris Mannix poured some serious cold water on a potential Morant trade, as he suggested that the Grizzlies still view Morant as a franchise cornerstone and are looking to build around him, not trade him.
From Mannix:
“In other words, going full rebuild may be out of the question. And the Grizzlies don’t want to do that. They believe the Morant/Jaren Jackson Jr. tandem is the foundation of a contender. They believe a return to health—Memphis, already, has been decimated by injuries—will lead to wins. This isn’t a team looking to sell Morant. It’s one looking to use the assets it has—including the bag of first-round draft picks it acquired from Orlando in the Desmond Bane trade last summer—to add pieces around him.”
This is somewhat surprising, as Memphis’ decision to trade Bane over the offseason seemed to signal that the organization was eyeing a rebuild of sorts. But perhaps they were just looking to acquire some assets that they could use to shuffle the deck around the core of Morant and Jackson.
Things can change quickly in the NBA though, as we’ve seen time and again. Just because the Grizzlies might not actively be looking to trade Morant doesn’t mean that they won’t be singing a different tune in a month, or two. If the situation continues to spiral, or if Morant straight up asks for a trade – which he hasn’t done yet – Memphis’ front office might be forced to alter its stance.