Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
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Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant
The Memphis Grizzlies were one of the most talked about teams leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, most due to the rumors surrounding star point guard Ja Morant.
Morant was a hot commodity before the deadline. However, the team decided to keep him throughout the rest of the season.
Despite receiving interest from a few different teams, the Grizzlies didn’t receive an offer that made them pull the trigger. Morant will stay in Memphis for the rest of this season, but it is widely expected that he will once again hit the trade market in the offseason.
With that being said, a new update has been shared about the Grizzlies’ plan for Morant’s future with the franchise.
Memphis Grizzlies’ Plans for Ja Morant Have Been Revealed
According to NBA reporter Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Memphis is still planning to trade Morant. The team will reignite trade talks during the NBA offseason.
“Memphis intends to trade Morant over the summer, according to league sources,” Vardon wrote. “The team has the patience for any short-term pain that keeping him past the deadline may cause.”
Even though the Grizzlies are clearly ready to part ways with Morant, rushing a trade for bad value wouldn’t make sense. Memphis does not need to force a trade. Morant is an extremely talented players and the team should wait until it gets a decent offer.
It was clear when the Grizzlies traded Jaren Jackson Jr. that they’re planning to rebuild the roster. Moving on from Morant will be part of that rebuild. However, that will simply need to wait until the offseason arrives.
Which Teams Have Shown Interest in Trading for Ja Morant?
Despite the fact that Memphis held onto Morant through the trade deadline, there were a few teams with serious interest in acquiring him.
Among those teams were the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Sacramento Kings. All three of those teams will be worth keeping an eye on as potential suitors in the offseason. There are other teams around the league who could have more interest in the offseason as opposed to midseason.
Morant has played in 20 games this season for the Grizzlies. He has averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and a steal per game, while shooting just 41 percent overall and 23.5 percent from the three-point line.
Last season in Memphis, the 26-year-old point guard played in 50 games. He averaged 23.2 points per game to go along with 7.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Morant shot 45.4 percent from the floor and 30.9 percent from three-point range.
There is no denying the potential that the young point guard possesses. He has had some off-the-court issues with the Grizzlies that have hurt his trade value, but anyone who acquires him would be getting a potential franchise player.