Grizzlies’ Ja Morant ‘Shocked’ Over Desmond Bane Trade, But Praises Team’s Moves

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant said he was caught off guard by the team’s decision to trade longtime backcourt partner Desmond Bane, but added he understands why it happened and sees a promising future for both sides.

“I was shocked, personally,” Morant told The Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole. “I got the message from Des. To see it all over the internet, I thought the [expletive] was fake, honestly. It’s best for both sides. Des is going to a very talented Orlando team. I feel like he’s the piece that they’ve been missing.”

The Bane trade signaled a significant shift in Memphis, and with it came speculation about whether Morant could be the next to move on. The Grizzlies have now lost in the first round of the playoffs three times in the last five years, and Bane’s exit added fuel to the theory that the franchise could be heading for a full-scale rebuild.

But a team on the verge of blowing things up usually doesn’t commit to a five-year, $240 million extension for Jaren Jackson Jr., and there’s no indication Morant is on his way out either.

In fact, Morant praised the front office’s recent moves, saying the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope via trade and Ty Jerome in free agency should help elevate Memphis moving forward.

From the outside, it looks like general manager Zach Kleiman has already begun reshaping the roster while keeping Morant and Jackson at the center of it all. If there’s any kind of rebuild happening, it’s a soft one — built on a foundation of two young stars who are locked in and, apparently, bought in.

For now, Morant seems focused on what’s next, even if the breakup of his backcourt duo still stings a bit.