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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is having the worst season of his career to date. (Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford\/Getty Images)<\/p>\nMemphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is having the worst season of his career to date. (Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
As the trade deadline approaches \u2014 we\u2019re just over three weeks away \u2014 rumors have continued to swirl around Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.<\/p>\n
Predictably, one team linked to Morant is the Miami Heat, who are 21-19 as they approach the halfway mark of the season. NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported<\/a> in early December that the Heat have had internal discussions regarding Morant. He doubled down<\/a> on those reports last weekend.<\/p>\n And the noise has only continued to get louder.<\/p>\n According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Heat have interest in acquiring the Grizzlies\u2019 disgruntled star.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Heat do have interest,\u201d he said recently<\/a> on Sirius XM NBA. \u201cI would like to see him in Miami. I would like to see him in Miami because of the structure. [Miami Heat president Pat Riley] being there \u2014 he\u2019s never been shy to bring on guys who have questionable paths. <\/p>\n \u201cI think it would be good for Ja Morant not just as a player, but as a man to go into there. The Miami culture is different. It really is.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris Haynes reporting on Ja Morant to Miami:<\/p>\n \u201cThe Heat do have interest. I would like to see him in Miami. I would like to see him in Miami because of the structure. Pat Riley being there he\u2019s never been shy to bring on guys who have questionable paths. I think it would be good\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/dw90MpDR3v<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) January 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Morant has missed the Grizzlies\u2019 last five games with a calf contusion. He\u2019s also not expected to play in the team\u2019s international affair Thursday against the Orlando Magic.<\/p>\n In 18 games, he\u2019s averaging the fewest points since his rookie season, while sporting career-lows in field goal percentage (40.1), 3-point percentage (20.8), turnovers per 75 possessions (4.43) and true-shooting percentage (50.6).<\/p>\n This follows Sports Illustrated\u2019s Chris Mannix reporting<\/a> that the two most frequent destinations he\u2019s hearing from league execs are the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Heat feel like a strange stylistic fit,\u201d Mannix wrote. <\/a>\u201cThey are running that same fast moving, Noah LaRoche\u2013inspired offense that Morant hated in Memphis last season. But if Miami acquired Morant, it would undoubtedly pivot back to a more pick-and-roll heavy system. One that might make some of the current players on the roster happy anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n In early November, I discussed why Miami\u2019s adaptation of its offense \u2014 or that Morant allegedly did not like \u2014 was why he wouldn\u2019t be a current fit<\/a>. <\/p>\n Of course, if you get him at a bargain bin price, it\u2019s an option worth considering. But it ultimately takes two to tango. Morant\u2019s value isn\u2019t high. But the Grizzlies don\u2019t have to trade the star guard quite yet \u2014 unless it\u2019s really desperate to.<\/p>\n According to the Miami Herald\u2018s Anthony Chiang, talks between the two sides have only been \u201cpreliminary<\/a>,\u201d up to this point. <\/p>\n \u201cThere have been preliminary discussions between the Heat and Grizzlies regarding Morant\u2019s availability, according to a league source. Those talks have not yet escalated and a deal is not imminent, with a source characterizing the Heat\u2019s link to Morant as \u2018premature.\u2019\u201d \u2014\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) January 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n A deal won\u2019t get done until every side has urgency, so that\u2019s to be expected.<\/p>\n The trade deadline is Feb. 5 at 3:00 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t