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Nine months ago, Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman publicly dismissed the idea of trading Ja Morant. He called the idea “fantasy.” That was Feb. 19. Memphis was 36-18 at the time and sitting No. 2 in the West.
A lot has changed since.
Memphis slid to the No. 8 seed. Morant got hurt again in the playoffs. Taylor Jenkins was fired. The offense was reshuffled. Morant openly pushed back on the new scheme.
Then came last week’s heated moment with the new staff and his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
That suspension — plus the regression in availability and efficiency — is what reopened the conversation, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports writes.
And here’s the twist:
Even if Memphis wanted to trade him right now, they might not be able to get remotely equal value.
Small guards who don’t consistently shoot deep or defend have become the toughest archetype to move. That was proven with Trae Young’s ice-cold market. It was also proven when the Damian Lillard trade cratered in value a few years ago.
And Morant’s long injury history, plus his contract, makes it even harder.
Quinn still outlined five teams that could make sense in a buy-low swing if it ever gets to that point:
Kings — Desperate for juice at point guard after moving off De’Aaron Fox.
Heat — The one organization with a real track record of straightening out distressed stars.
Suns — Mat Ishbia loves big swings, and offensive synergy with Devin Booker would be real.
Raptors — They need an identity and have flexible assets they could reshuffle.
Timberwolves — Tim Connelly loves bold pivots, and Anthony Edwards-Morant could be outrageous athletically.
So yes, Kleiman once said, “We are not trading Ja.”
But the real story now might be this — the Grizzlies might not have a choice.
That said, the market for Morant may not even exist, as Quinn notes.
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