Ja Morant
Getty
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies on the bench.
It now feels like only a matter of time before the Memphis Grizzlies trade Ja Morant. The bigger question is where the Grizzlies are going to send the 26-year-old two-time All-Star to get a quality return.
When the Grizzlies traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, it signaled to the rest of the NBA that they were gearing up for a rebuild. However, there has already been a lot ofspeculation around Morant’s possible exit from Memphis.
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The Memphis Grizzlies will NOT work with Ja Morant to send him to his preferred destination, per @KellyIko
They will send him to the team with the best offer.
Now that the Grizzlies are officially on a fire sale, they are looking to get the best in return for Morant. Kelly Iko, a reporter for Yahoo Sports, tweeted out that the Grizzlies are “seeking the best deal strictly for the organization.”
However, it did not take long for Morant’s camp to share their preferred destination.Iko responded to his own tweet by saying, “With 24 hours to go until the trade deadline, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and his camp are disinterested with the idea of playing in Sacramento, with a strong preference for Miami or Minnesota in the event he is dealt.”
Last offseason, the Grizzlies turned Desmond Bane intofour first-round picks. They have continued the rebuild by addingthree more first-round picks from the Jazz. Acquiring draft capital is at the forefront of the Grizzlies’ rebuilding plan, which will affect where Morant gets traded.
Ja Morant’s Current Trade Value
Ja Morant
GettyJa Morant with the ball dribbling.
Not that long ago, Morant was a rising star in the league. His ferocious, stylish dunks mesmerized fans. However, it has been a sudden fall from grace for Morant. Injuries,off-court incidents, and other suspensions have led to him missing significant time over the last four seasons. Even this season, the Grizzliessuspended Morant for a game in November.
On top of that, Morant has not been the same player this season. He is currently averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per game. However, Morant’s efficiency is where the most significant dip has been.
In the two seasons that Morant was an All-Star, he shot a combined 47.9% from the field and 32.4% from three, averaging 26.8 points and 7.4 assists. This season, he is shooting 41% from the field, and even worse, 23.5% from behind the arc.
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The Grizzlies have dramatically dropped their asking price for Ja Morant and are eager to ship him out to start a rebuild around Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, per @TheSteinLine & @JakeLFischer
“Yet multiple rival teams have said this week that the Grizzlies’ asking price for
Well, that brings us to the sad truth that Morant’s trade value has plummeted. Morant has been unable to stay on the court, and when he has played this season, it hasn’t been great. Jake Fischer reported that the Grizzlies have lowered their asking price,and wrote “Memphis officials apparently eager now to just move on from its longtime Face of the Franchise.”
Where Does Morant End Up
Ja Morant
GettyJa Morant is taking on a defender as he dribbles.
When the trade deadline is over, Morant will likely no longer be on the Grizzlies. The question is now which team he will be on. Iko’s initial report on the Grizzlies seeking the best available trade was in response to Kevin O’Connorreporting that the Sacramento Kings “remain the team most strongly connected to Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.”
However, Iko also reported that Morant’s preferred trade destinations are the Miami Heat or the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite that, with the Grizzlies making it clear they are taking the best offer, which means Morant could end up anywhere.
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There is a belief that the Heat can pull off a Trae Young–type trade for Ja Morant, per @BrettSiegelNBA
Still, the most likely landing spot for Morant will be Miami. However, it is unclear whether the Grizzlies will want to accept that deal. Brett Siegel of Clutch Sports reported that the Heat are looking to make a deal similar to the one the Washington Wizards used to acquire Trae Young. But Siegel also reported that theGrizzlies want more, writing, “Grizzlies do want draft compensation for Morant and are widely expected to take the first deal they can involving a first-round pick.”