Grizzlies GM Claims Ja Morant Trade Rumors Are Fake

The Memphis Grizzlies look destined to return to the Playoffs this season. They currently hold the No. 2 seed in the West with a 36-18 record. The franchise is rebounding from a season of bad health and has done so amazingly, with Taylor Jenkins keeping a rotating core of players as competitive as any squad in the West.

After the recent Luka Doncic trade, it seems no superstar in the NBA is safe from a trade. As a result, Ja Morant's name was floating around as a potential rumor in the summer. Grizzlies GM Zach Kleinman instantly shot this down in a quote.

“I can’t blame other 'executives' for fantasizing about us trading Ja. But it’s just that - fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team, and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I’m not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball.”

Kleinman's response to making his superstar point guard feel appreciated at a time when stars are increasingly uncertain about their futures was great. If Doncic could be traded, Morant could just as easily be made available for acquisition, especially since the Grizzlies are going 14-8 on the court this season when Morant is unavailable. 

He's averaging 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists this season. While he didn't make the All-Star team because of lower production and missed time, Morant is still considered the franchise star of the Grizzlies, although Jaren Jackson Jr. is proving he can be the team's leader as well.

The report that prompted Kleinman to issue this quote came from Howard Beck of The Ringer, claiming the Grizzlies could move on from Morant if they underachieve in the Playoffs after securing a high seed for the second time in three seasons.

“I’m constantly checking in with executives around trade deadline about what we saw, didn’t see, and what’s next. In this league, you are always on the lookout for who is the next wave of stars who are going to get dealt… Somebody on the blue said ‘Keep an eye on Ja this summer.’"

Morant's troubling injury history makes him a candidate for a trade, especially with a max extension on the horizon. Under the terms of his current contract, he is yet to become eligible for a supermax, not having made an All-NBA team since 2022. If he makes one this year and in 2026, he could agree on a supermax extension in the summer of 2026.

The likelihood Morant makes consecutive All-NBA teams is pretty low given the competition for those spots under the new positionless requirements. This season is already looking unlikely, so the Grizzlies might not have the same motivation as the Dallas Mavericks to trade Morant away if he's not in line for a supermax contract.

There's no need for the Grizzlies to consider Morant trades unless they get an offer they can't refuse. He should remain in their jersey for the foreseeable future, with any trade likelihood only seeping in when he's in the final 18 months of his contract, which is scheduled to expire in the summer of 2027.