Ja Morant learned that he wasn’t moved at last week’s trade deadline somewhat unexpectedly, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, who reports that Memphis held firm rather than settling for an offer comparable to the return Atlanta received in the Trae Young deal.
From the Grizzlies’ perspective, none of the proposals on the table met their valuation of the former All-Star guard.
Azarly notes that Memphis engaged in discussions with the Heat, Timberwolves, and Bucks, but those conversations never gained enough traction to produce a serious agreement.
League sources told ClutchPoints that Ryan Rollins came up in talks between the Grizzlies and Milwaukee, though Memphis was unwilling to take on contracts such as Kyle Kuzma’s and/or Bobby Portis’, both of which carry multiple years of guaranteed money.
While prior reporting indicated that the Grizzlies were open to absorbing long-term salary if it was paired with first-round draft assets, there’s no sign that the Bucks were prepared to include their only tradable first-round pick in a package for Morant.
Without that level of draft compensation, Memphis had little incentive to move forward.
Looking ahead, the prevailing belief around the league is that the Grizzlies will revisit Morant trade discussions during the offseason.
Azarly adds that Morant is expected to return from his left elbow injury not long after the All-Star break.
Even as Memphis leans into a rebuild and could theoretically benefit from losses late in the season, both the organization and Morant would welcome a strong finish, giving the 26-year-old a chance to reestablish his on-court value ahead of a likely summer market.
Ja Morant was reportedly surprised that the Grizzlies didn’t trade him before the deadline: https://t.co/kZq4EXgYTT
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 12, 2026
