{"id":591099,"date":"2026-02-08T19:35:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T19:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/591099\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T19:35:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T19:35:56","slug":"why-couldnt-the-memphis-grizzlies-trade-star-pg-ja-morant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/591099\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Couldn’t The Memphis Grizzlies Trade Star PG Ja Morant?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Ja<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

At one point in his career, Memphis Grizzlies\u00a0superstar\u00a0Ja Morant was one of the most valuable assets in the entire NBA. Now, not only are the Grizzlies looking to trade Morant, but they\u2019re struggling to do so because of his reported \u201cnegative value.\u201d<\/p>\n

Morant, the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, made his first All-Star Game in 2022 and finished seventh in the league\u2019s MVP voting. He once against made the All-Star Game the following season and looked like a franchise cornerstone for an up-and-coming Grizzlies team that could contend for championships.<\/p>\n

Then, things began to go off the rails.<\/p>\n

Morant found himself in several off-court controversies<\/a>, including multiple firearm-related incidents that led to him being suspended by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also suffered immensely with injuries, playing just 79 total games over the last three seasons combined. Pair that with a five-year, $197 million contract that has two years remaining and includes a 15 percent trade kicker and it\u2019s easy to see why Memphis might want to move on.<\/p>\n

However, that won\u2019t be so easy.<\/p>\n

Brian Windhorst Says Ja Morant Has Negative Value Across The NBA<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies looked to move Morant prior to Thursday\u2019s NBA trade deadline, especially after trading star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz.<\/p>\n

But they were unable to find a suitor.<\/p>\n

According to ESPN\u2019s Brian Windhorst, the Grizzlies would have needed to add additional in order to convince a team to take on Morant\u2019s salary.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s got, what they call in the league, negative value. Teams were not willing to take Ja Morant unless the Grizzlies also attached draft compensation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Brian Windhorst \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n

(via @GetUpESPN<\/a>)
pic.twitter.com\/e5Uu2vpJBS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I say he has no value,\u201d Windhorst said on ESPN\u2019s Get Up<\/a> \u201cI don\u2019t even think that\u2019s accurate. I think he\u2019s got what they call in the league \u2018negative value,\u2019 and what that means is teams were not willing to take Ja Morant unless the Grizzlies also attached draft compensation, in other words, you have to pay us to take him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween the suspensions, the injuries, and the issues with the coaches, he has missed so many games,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Morant is still just 26 years old. It\u2019s not impossible for him to get back on track. But as of now, he\u2019s in the middle of one of the biggest falls from grace in recent NBA history, and he has nobody to blame but himself.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t