After placing Ja Morant on the trading block for nearly a month, the Memphis Grizzlies were unable to find a trade partner for the two-time All-Star point guard before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
For now, the 26-year-old guard will remain with the franchise with which he’s had a roller-coaster seven-year tenure that included some of the most successful seasons in franchise history, a stretch of injuries, off-court drama and growing bad blood behind the scenes.
Advertisement
While Morant remains in Memphis, the team’s intention to begin a rebuilding process became clear after the team traded former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, less than a year after signing him to a five-year, $240 million extension.
However, they could not find a trade partner willing to send anything of value back for Morant, who still has two years and more than $87 million remaining on his contract after this season.
The inability to find a trade partner brings Morant’s frigid relationship with the Grizzlies’ organization back to the forefront. He had received a one-game suspension earlier this season after openly clashing with head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
{“endpoint”:”https://api-prd-nyt.theathletic.com/graphql”}
The tension within the team became even more apparent during the Grizzlies’ overseas trip to play games in Berlin and London. During an open practice, reporters captured a heated discussion between Morant, who was out with a calf injury, and Grizzlies guard Vince Williams that went viral (Williams was later traded to the Jazz as part of the deal for Jackson).
Just a shootaround here in Berlin, and there is some heat already
Ja Morant vs Vince Williams#Grizzlies #NBAEurope #Memphis #Orlando #Morant pic.twitter.com/cO7YCx4mXg
— Vitalii Volochai #StandWithUkraine (@v1lat) January 14, 2026
After returning and starring in the second of those two games in London, Morant said he preferred to stay with the franchise.
“If anybody in here knows me, I’m a very loyal guy,” he said. “I got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be.”
Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Morant has played in 77 games and missed 126. He’s only made 20 appearances this season and hasn’t played more than six consecutive games since the 2022-23 season. Along with the litany of injuries that have kept him off the court, Morant also missed 33 games across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons for repeatedly flashing a gun on social media.
Advertisement
Morant is averaging 19.5 points this season, his lowest scoring average since his second season as a pro. He’s also shooting 41.0 percent from the field, the lowest of his career and 23.5 percent from the 3-point line.
When Morant is playing well, he’s still capable of being one of the most dynamic playmakers at the point guard position. Early in his career, he became one of the league’s brightest stars because of his freakish athleticism and fearless approach to attacking the basket.
The Grizzlies have a 20-29 record and are technically still within reach of a potential Play-In Tournament push. However, the loss of Jackson could be a devastating blow, and Morant hasn’t played since Jan. 21. The Grizzlies do have some young pieces to build around going forward with rookie forward Cedric Coward and second-year center Zach Edey, who has been limited to 11 games due to injury.
However, with Jackson and former Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane no longer on the roster, this team has a long road ahead before returning to contender status.