One of the most persistent rumors in the NBA has centered on Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant, after it was recently reported that Memphis is open to moving the two-time All-Star.
The Miami Heat have repeatedly surfaced as a potential suitor. However, on Friday, ESPN's Brian Windhorst offered a halting update on that possibility.
Morant is currently on a five-year, $197.2 million extension, and his performance over the past two seasons has arguably not matched that value.
With the contract running through the 2027-28 season, the Heat are reportedly hesitant to take on such a significant financial commitment in the 2027-28 offseason. Windhorst added that the Heat have been "overstated" as a potential destination for Morant.
As of now, it is "highly unlikely that the Heat would deviate from that plan to go after Morant."
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The bulk of the Heat's payroll is concentrated among three players: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Andrew Wiggins. They are currently not paying Terry Rozier's $26.6 million salary, and the next highest-paid player is Norman Powell, who earns $20 million or more on the active roster.
The team will soon have additional cap space to work with. Unless they view Morant as a cornerstone for the future, a trade doesn't make much logical sense at this point, as acquiring him would likely require giving up some combination of young talent and draft compensation.
Not to mention, the 2028 offseason could feature star free agents such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Donovan Mitchell, potentially giving Miami the opportunity to pursue a big-name addition to pair with the talent they already have.
Newsweek