League-wide appetite for a trade involving Ja Morant appears muted, with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst describing the overall interest as “tepid.”
They add that speculation connecting Morant to the Miami Heat has been exaggerated relative to reality.
According to the ESPN report, Miami remains “laser focused” on preserving long-term cap flexibility, with eyes firmly set on the 2027 offseason.
That future window could potentially include elite players such as Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and sources say the Heat are unlikely to deviate from that plan to take on Morant’s contract, which carries a guaranteed $44.9 million salary in 2027/28.
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald echoed that assessment, noting that Miami hasn’t made an offer for Morant and would only consider engaging if the deal amounted to a “complete giveaway” from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jackson joked that Memphis might even need to attach a first-round pick to spark serious interest from the Heat.
Beyond Miami, Bontemps and Windhorst report that there’s little sense of a robust market developing for the two-time All-Star, whose on-court impact has dipped in recent seasons.
Among the few teams mentioned in league circles as a possible suitor, the Milwaukee Bucks surfaced repeatedly, though even that interest appears far from certain.
Trade Rumors: Morant, Heat, Lakers, Raptors, Bucks, Wolves https://t.co/WiG9aQsr9E pic.twitter.com/GdJbidFnjb
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 16, 2026
