Star point guard Ja Morant has made it clear to players around the league that he no longer wants to
The Ja Morant era in Memphis appears to be over. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright, the Grizzlies’ star point guard has told players around the league and several of his former coaches that he has no intention of suiting up for Memphis again — and the expectation around the NBA is that he will get his wish before next season begins.
For a franchise that once built its entire identity around Morant‘s explosive play, the development marks the end of a relationship that deteriorated significantly over the past year.
A locker room confrontation that changed everything
The tension between Morant and Memphis had been building for some time, but it boiled over during last season when the Grizzlies suspended their star guard one game for conduct detrimental to the team following a locker room confrontation with head coach Tuomas Iisalo. The Finnish coach’s aggressive rotation patterns and willingness to publicly call out star players did not sit well with Morant, and the rift between the two never fully healed.
What followed was a quiet but unmistakable signal sent across the league. Morant began telling players and former coaches directly that he was finished in Memphis — a declaration that, once made at that scale, effectively forces the organization’s hand.
Memphis was already moving toward a rebuild
The Grizzlies did not wait for this moment to begin reshaping their roster. The organization traded Desmond Bane to Orlando the previous summer and then sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah at the February trade deadline — moves that signaled a full rebuild was already underway regardless of what happened with Morant.
General manager Zach Kleiman did explore Morant trade options at the February deadline, but the offers that came in were described as modest, and nothing materialized that satisfied Memphis’s expectations. With the offseason now approaching, the belief around the league is that the Grizzlies will have a better pool of interested teams to work with — though the consensus among executives polled by ESPN is that Memphis should temper its expectations about what it can realistically get in return.
3 reasons teams are hesitant to go all-in
Despite Morant’s undeniable talent, several factors are giving potential suitors pause as they evaluate what an acquisition would actually cost them on and off the court.
The first is his contract. Morant is owed $87.1 million guaranteed over the next two seasons — a significant financial commitment in an NBA landscape where teams are increasingly cautious about pushing into tax apron territory. For any team considering a move, absorbing that number demands confidence that Morant can perform at an All-Star level consistently.
The second concern is his injury history. Morant has not appeared in 65 or more games since his rookie season, and over each of the past three seasons he has played in fewer than 50 games. Durability questions at that salary level are difficult to dismiss.
The third issue is fit. Morant’s game is built around being the primary ball-handler and shot creator — he needs the offense to flow through him to operate at his best. That profile does not slot naturally into every system, which limits the universe of teams where he would genuinely thrive rather than simply exist.
Which teams could emerge as destinations
The offseason pursuit of bigger names will inevitably shape how the Morant market develops. Teams that chase Giannis Antetokounmpo or potentially Kawhi Leonard and come up empty may pivot toward Morant as a viable alternative — a scenario that could generate more competitive interest than the February deadline produced.
The Sacramento Kings have already been mentioned as one team in the conversation. Sacramento spoke with the Grizzlies at the deadline but the two sides never came close to an agreement. Whether the Kings revisit those discussions this summer remains to be seen, but they represent the kind of retooling team for which Morant’s upside could be appealing despite the risks.
Wherever he lands, the expectation is clear. Ja Morant will be wearing a different uniform when the 2026-27 season tips off — and Memphis, for its part, appears equally ready to turn the page.
Source: NBC Sports / ESPN