When the Memphis Grizzlies dealt Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz last month, the franchise’s message was clear: Memphis was planning to retool around young players in Cedric Coward and Zach Edey.

But the Grizzlies’ inability to find a new home for Ja Morant means Memphis has to answer a major question about the two-time All-Star guard in the offseason. Does Morant fit the Grizzlies’ new timeline?

MORE: Ja Morant won’t play for Grizzlies this season, or perhaps ever again

The Grizzlies are armed with draft capital — Memphis has three draft picks in the top 31 this year. But Morant, a vestige of a past era, continues to linger.

Morant has been ruled out for the rest of the 2025-26 season with an elbow ligament sprain. He played only 20 games this year, and he has been limited to a mere 79 games over the past three seasons. Morant’s offensive production continues to decline; the 26-year-old averaged 19.5 points on 41.0 percent shooting this season, and he shot a career-worst 23.5 percent from beyond the arc.

It’s why, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Morant question hangs over the Grizzlies’ summer.

Memphis last won a playoff series in 2022, when the franchise’s future seemed as bright as any in the NBA. Four years later, general manager Zach Kleiman will have a big challenge in canvassing interest for an injury-prone guard with two years and $87 million remaining on his albatross contract.

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