Grizzlies Predicted to Trade Franchise Star at Upcoming Deadline

What are the Memphis Grizzlies? They certainly aren’t the top-seeded Western Conference playoff team from a few years ago. However, they aren’t a tanking rebuilding team either. Something needs to change in Memphis, or they will be stuck in the middle, the worst place for an NBA team to be. 

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently predicted “The 1 Player On Every NBA Team Most Likely To Be Traded,” and he predicted Ja Morant to be the most likely Grizzlies player to go. 

"Fans in Memphis still love Morant, and he's a major draw. But as infrequently as he plays, and as hard as it'll be for a player who depends on athleticism to age well, his affinity could dissipate quickly.

It's hard to know how interested other teams will be in onboarding a risky $87-million in 2026–27 and 2027–28 salary, but Morant wouldn't be the first disgruntled star to suddenly rediscover his top form in a new locale.”

Getting rid of Morant would be a tough decision for the Grizzlies. He’s brought them a lot of joy and success so far in his career. The Grizzlies have been widely relevant because of Morant’s stardom. 

That being said, Morant has also come with a lot of drama. Off-court issues, fighting with coaches, and tons of injuries have made Morant a lot less valuable and effective than he could be.

That’s why it’s time for the Grizzlies to pivot. They need a fresh start without Morant. Their infrastructure of development is still strong, and getting some new young players to build around would probably give them a better chance at competing in the near future than they have with Morant as their leader.