New Ja Morant Trade Rumors Reveal Heat’s Stance, Market for Grizzlies Star at NBA Deadline
If the Memphis Grizzlies end up finding a trade partner for Ja Morant prior to the Feb. 5 deadline, it doesn’t sound like the Miami Heat will be his landing spot.
Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the Heat’s involvement in talks for Morant has been “overstated” because the organization is “laser focused on avoiding taking on” long-term money with an eye toward the summer of 2027 when several superstar players could become free agents.
Bontemps and Windhorst added that people within the NBA don’t “see much of a market” developing for Morant, though the Milwaukee Bucks have frequently popped up as an option since they seem locked in on trying to upgrade around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Friday that the Grizzlies have eyed the Bucks’ 2031 or 2032 first-round pick and Ryan Rollins in talks about Morant. Scotto noted the Bucks have shopped Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis around the league, but noted both could be included in a potential Morant deal.
Scotto also reported the New Orleans Pelicans have explored a potential “buy-low” deal for Morant, but have been telling teams that Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen are “untouchable” in talks.
In addition to Milwaukee and New Orleans, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported the Sacramento Kings “would only do a Morant deal if it didn’t involve giving the Grizzlies any significant draft capital.”
Amid the seemingly tepid market for Morant, Scotto noted that the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets, two teams floated by league insiders as potential landing spots, are “unlikely” to make a move.
Amick also noted the Kings don’t see Morant “as a good fit for their current timeline.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Jan. 9 that the Grizzlies were entertaining trade offers for Morant, with the hope of getting back draft picks and young players for the two-time All-Star.
Given the wealth of point guards in the NBA right now, teams have already made it clear that there isn’t going to be a significant market if you aren’t a difference-making superstar.
Trae Young, a four-time All-Star who has been less susceptible to injuries than Morant, only brought back CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert when the Atlanta Hawks traded him to the Washington Wizards.
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor suggested that people around the league think the Grizzlies might be able to get a deal with pick swaps and “moderate bets on rookie contracts, not exciting young players” for Morant, but they might have to take on “bad money” to even get that much.
The Heat also don’t have any incentive to pursue a trade because it could reasonably be argued that Davion Mitchell is playing as well as Morant this season. Mitchell isn’t a high-volume scorer with 9.1 points per game, but he’s very efficient with a 39.8 three-point percentage.
Morant is averaging 19.0 points on a career-low 40.1 percent shooting (20.8 percent from three) and 7.6 assists per game, but he has only started 18 out of 40 games for the Grizzlies.
This will be the fifth consecutive season Morant has missed at least 20 games. He hasn’t played more than 50 games since the 2022-23 season. When you combine his frequent absences with a contract that pays him $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million in 2027-28, it’s not hard to see why teams might be hesitant to jump at the opportunity to acquire him.
A club like the Bucks, who are both desperate for a quick fix to appease Antetokounmpo and have no real assets until 2031 with their first-round draft pick, might be able to find a way to build a package for Morant.
The Heat, though, are rarely a franchise that operates in a state of desperation. Even if they go through a brief fallow period, there has always been a Jimmy Butler or LeBron James who comes along in free agency and decides they want to play in South Beach.
