Early in his professional career, Memphis’ Ja Morant was a star. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2019-20. Additionally, Morant had back-to-back all-star appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Since then, Morant has been on a downward trajectory. Off-court issues and injuries have derailed his last three seasons in the NBA. Recently, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks published an article. They discussed Ja Morant’s future in Memphis. An anonymous East executive told them that Ja Morant is starting to draw comparisons to John Wall and Derrick Rose.
Ja Morant’s stock could not be lower after a strong start to his professional career
An NBA executive says Ja Morant is a “pain in the ass, injury-prone, and not good anymore,” and people around the league compare him to John Wall and Derrick Rose, per @espn
“‘The combination of pain in the ass, injury prone, not that good anymore and big contract is a bad… pic.twitter.com/9olPt0kZWk
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 3, 2025
In 2025-26, Ja Morant has started 12 of the Grizzlies’ 21 games. The 26-year-old has been out since November 15 with a calf strain. Additionally, the PG has clashed with the first-year head coach, Tuomas Iisalo. On top of that, Morant’s production and efficiency have taken a significant dip this season. All those factors have led to speculation around the NBA.
League insiders have reported that a few teams are keeping their eye on Ja Morant’s availability. However, one anonymous East executive said his team “wouldn’t want Morant on his roster regardless of salary.” Just seven years into his professional career, Ja Morant’s stock has plummeted drastically.
My updated look at the Ja Morant trade rumors, a vibe check in Sacramento, and why the Grizzlies’ turnaround makes it all more interesting in Memphis, at @TheAthletic https://t.co/fRTaF3wc5q
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 2, 2025
Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks reported that Ja Morant’s situation with the Grizzlies is grim. They noted that Morant’s best years of his career may have already passed. Not what Memphis fans want to hear. The ESPN pairing also said that Ja Morant is being compared around the league to John Wall and Derrick Rose.
They are all smaller guards who rely on elite athleticism. Wall and Rose had their career derailed by injuries and were never the same. One could argue that Ja Morant is on a similar career path. John Wall and Derrick Rose each played 10+ seasons. However, their reign as a superstar was cut short due to injury. Could Ja Morant revitalize his career with a new team? The 26-year-old is on a lopsided contract compared to his production. Will any team have interest in adding the all-star PG?
