Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant is still reportedly a prime trade target for the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Ja Morant Called Out Grizzlies’ Coaching Staff
It has been over a month since Morant made headlines with his postgame comments about the Grizzlies’ coaching staff following an Oct. 31 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
“According to [the coaching staff], probably don’t play me, honestly,” Morant said. “That’s basically what the message was. It’s cool.”
The Grizzlies issued Morant a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. His actions have since sparked trade speculation across the league.
The same two teams want the former No. 2 overall pick.
“Teams such as Sacramento and the Minnesota Timberwolves (and likely many more) that were known to be monitoring the situation before will continue to do so, all while watching closely when Ja Morant returns (his initial timeline had him slated for a possible early December return),” Amick wrote.
Injuries, Suspensions Derailed NBA Career
Morant, who has been out since mid-November with a calf injury, has not been playing well through 12 appearances this season, averaging just 17.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and a career-low 28.8 minutes per game.
He’s also shooting only 35.9% from the field and 16.7% from 3-point territory.
In addition to his disappointing play, Morant has dealt with multiple injuries in the past and has an extensive history of controversies, which is making rival executives think twice about a potential trade.
Per Basketball Reference, Morant hasn’t appeared in more than 61 games in any of the past four seasons, and his time spent on social media has only brought negative attention to the Grizzlies.
The seven-year veteran served an NBA suspension in 2023-24, then appeared in only nine games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
He was also limited to 50 games last season.
Morant Continues To Support Teammates
Despite the incident on Halloween and trash-talking Klay Thompson, Morant doesn’t appear to be causing any more problems for the Grizzlies, at least according to head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
If anything, Morant has been a supportive teammate on the bench.
“It’s a huge advantage for us,” Iisalo said of Morant. “It’s during the games. He’s … asking stuff of me and giving some tips there for the guys. Overall, really good communication, really good leadership, both from him and also from Jaren (Jackson Jr.) and our veteran guys.”
While the Grizzlies struggled out the gate with a 4-11 start, they’re now currently 9-12 and rank ninth in the Western Conference standings. Memphis is only 3 1/2 games back of the sixth spot.
This could be Morant’s last chance to turn over a new leaf in Memphis.
