From all reports it seems like Ja Morant was one of the most available big names at this year’s NBA trade deadline. But the Grizzlies didn’t wind up moving the former All-Star point guard, instead opting to ship out Jaren Jackson Jr. for a massive pick-laden package from the Jazz. Among many other ripple effects, the decision to trade JJJ indicates Memphis is officially moving on from the Morant/Jackson core and shifting into rebuild mode instead.
That transition won’t be fully complete until Morant winds up elsewhere, which feels like an inevitability at this point. He seems to have worn out his welcome, as evidenced by the fact the Grizzlies shopped him for months leading up to the Feb. 5 deadline. However, they didn’t find a deal they liked. There were offers. But reporting around the situation consistently indicated that no team was willing to give up assets of note for Morant given his history of off-court issues and consistent availability issues.
