Derek Fisher
Ja Morant Could Benefit If Traded
… ‘Sometimes change is needed!!!’
Published
February 1, 2026
12:10 AM PST
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Derek Fisher isn’t predicting a Ja Morant trade before next week’s deadline … but if it happens, he says buckle up.
TMZ Sports caught up with the five-time NBA champion at LAX recently and asked him about the possibility of the Memphis Grizzlies trading their dynamic star.
Fisher weighed in on the rumors … admitting there’s no obvious landing spot if Morant is moved — but stressed that being traded is something even the game’s greats have had to endure.
“So many great players in the history of our game have been traded before,” Fisher said, calling the experience “traumatic” and adding flat-out that it’s not easy.
Yet Fisher also suggested a fresh start isn’t always a bad thing. He pointed to recent shakeups across pro sports — including Trae Young’s trade and even NFL coaches getting axed — as proof that sometimes change is necessary.
“Sometimes change is needed or required and it might not be a bad thing,” Fisher said. “Sometimes you need a change of scenery and new challenges put forth.”
As for the off-court noise surrounding Morant, Fisher reminded everyone that front offices know way more than fans ever will.
“Professional sports teams always do their homework and due diligence,” Fisher said. “Where is he now? There’s personal character and there’s basketball character. In most organizations, you have to check both boxes to be a guy they want.”
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We also asked Fisher about his current gig coaching high school boys basketball after being on the sidelines for the New York Knicks in the NBA and the LA Sparks in the WNBA.
He’s coaching his stepsons on the team at Crespi High School … and Fisher calls it a blessing getting to make an impact.
“I’m just trying to help them understand what goes into chasing your dreams and the choices you have to make,” Fisher said. “To be a good high school player and have an opportunity to play in college one day, you have to be able to focus and keep the main thing the main thing.”
So while the league debates trades and legacies, Fisher is mentoring the next generation.