Back then, Ja Morant said that he’s fine in the Western Conference. Since then, the Memphis Grizzlies lost in the second round in 2022, the first round in 2023, and later missed the playoffs in 2024. This year’s result was no different, but much worse as they got swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder. At this point, it does seem that it would be the end of the line for Memphis and Ja Morant’s partnership.

Let’s not get hasty here. Statistically, the Grizzlies were the best eighth seed ever – sixth highest net rating in 2024-25, a trio of key players outscoring opponents by 9.3 points per 100 possessions, and having impressive role players to support their runs. For most of the season, Memphis was the second seed in the West, only to fall as the eighth by the end of the regular season.

Since then, it has been downhill for the Grizzlies and they haven’t caught a break. Ja Morant is with Memphis for good – but not for a long time. And now there are a lot of trade rumors surfacing that revolve around Ja Morant. But will this be something that Memphis is open to considering after a tough finish in the 2025 Playoffs?

Ja Morant’s Optimistic Case

Ja Morant is eligible for a contract extension with the Grizzlies this July 6th, and it means that Memphis can actually sign him for good, or at least try to come up with an impressive deal that packages the star for a hefty set of picks or even a star – if any team is interested on that end.

This season, Ja Morant averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 assists per game. He has been limited to just 50 games, but his playoff games were nowhere near his regular-season performances, which has been a huge liability for Memphis.

Still, Morant is entering his basketball prime. What could have been the next generation of Memphis’ dominance on the big stage turned out to be a tough finish, and the Grizzlies are nowhere near coming up with a second incarnation of the competitive side of Bluff City. One can say that there’s no really a path forward for the team with Morant being at the helm.

But can he actually offer a trade package for any team? That’s something that is still up for discussion.

Morant’s Value

It is still a mystery as to how most executives find the value of a player on trades. However, it is worth noting that the Memphis loss and Ja Morant’s poor performances (and subsequent injury) also dampens the value that he originally has a swashbuckling star in his own right. So how many teams would actually want Morant?

Well, we can go for the losing teams of the season. Would Morant be swapped directly with Trae Young? Zion Williamson? LaMelo Ball? Or would even underperforming teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, or Portland Trail Blazers have anything to offer for the superstar?

Considering that Jaren Jackson Jr. is also in a star role, and Desmond Bane is finding his touch, it is worth noting that there’s Scotty Pippen Jr., who looked like the Grizzlies’ main option in their series against the Thunder.

Moving on from Morant would give the latter more minutes, so the trade would actually make sense, but it all falls down as to what other teams would have to offer in exchange for Ja Morant, considering that Memphis doesn’t need much pieces itself.