Herrington: Laying out Ja Morant trade scenarios
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) handles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the game at FedExForum on Dec. 30, 2025. (Wes Hale/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Chris Herrington
Chris Herrington has covered the Memphis Grizzlies, in one way or another, since the franchise’s second season in Memphis, while also writing about music, movies, food and civic life. As far as he knows, he’s the only member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association who is also a member of a film critics group and has also voted in national music critic polls for Rolling Stone and the Village Voice (RIP). He and his wife have two kids and, for reasons that sometimes elude him, three dogs.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 5, but trade restrictions on several players around the NBA — including a couple of notable Memphis Grizzlies — will lift in the coming week. And now we enter trade season knowing the Grizzlies could be a major player in the market, exploring potential offers for Ja Morant.
I’ll work through some entirely theoretical Morant trades here but will also consider the rest of the Grizzlies roster relative to the trade deadline.
Ja Morant scenarios
How much interest will there be in Morant? He’s a major talent with real star power, but he’s been highly unreliable for the past three seasons in terms of availability, performance and mood.
At a time in the NBA when small point guards, particularly those who aren’t dominant outside shooters, are being devalued, it could be a rough market for the Grizzlies, especially given the more than $85 million Morant is owed in the next two seasons and his apparent desire for a contract extension.
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