Are the Memphis Grizzlies about to make a franchise-defining mistake with Ja Morant?

The Memphis Grizzlies seem keen on severing all ties to the regime that was supposed to be the future of Grizzlies basketball. Over the course of the last two seasons, Dillon Brooks, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. have all been traded as the Grizzlies re-enter the dreaded rebuild phase. 

Ja Morant is the final player of that failed era of Grizzlies basketball on the team, and Zach Kleiman all but confirmed Morant will be traded this offseason. But is it really the best move for Memphis? According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Grizzlies would have possibly needed to add draft capital in a Morant trade for a team to consider budging. 

Morant is a talented player and has been hampered by injuries and suspensions over the course of the last three seasons. If you want to trade Morant because you simply don’t want him with the organization anymore, go for it. But if this is about basketball, is trading Morant really the best move for Memphis?

The argument against trading Ja Morant as Grizzlies face transition

Morant has had his problem, but holding on to him now could finally help him become the leader and star player the Grizzlies always hoped he would become. With his injury history, I feel like his high-flying days and acrobatic finishes are few and far between now. He can still be the player that changes the game; I just don’t think it’s in the same way it once was. 

This is the first time since Morant was drafted by the Grizzlies that they can actually build around him. When Morant got to Memphis, Brooks and Jackson Jr. were already there. They were just putting the pieces together. That team wasn’t built for Morant, though. This new phase for the Grizzlies can actually be about building around Morant. 

• Morant has only played in 79 games in the last three seasons (including this year)
• Injuries and suspensions have stalled his potential
• Morant hasn’t played more than 67 games in a season

He has two years left on his contract and as an injury liability, no team is going to take on that without getting more in return. Give Morant two years to look like the leader of this team and franchise cornerstone they drafted him to be and then decide if he’s worth bringing back. Morant is the most expensive contract on the roster now, the Grizzlies could figure out a way to maximize that while Morant still has some potential. 

Depending on how things go with the Grizzlies, they could be the next Oklahoma City Thunder. They have 12 first round picks over the next seven years. Morant can be the piece they build around and those future picks can either land them the players they need via the NBA Draft, or land them a key role player that will help take this team to the next level. 

If Memphis trades Ja Morant this offseason, what’s next?

Assuming the Grizzlies follow through with their offseason plans to trade Morant, what’s next for them? To me, moving off Morant puts them in the same boat as the Washington Wizards, pre trade deadline, or the New Orleans Pelicans. They’ll end up being in a years long rebuild that just never materializes into anything. At least if they see Morant’s contract through, they can decide if he’s worth keeping around. 

And sure, if they let him go to free agency they don’t get anything in return, but right now, they’re not even getting anything good in return for him so it’s better to play it safe for now. Things could change in a season, but right now, giving up on Morant means they’re really just rebuilding without a purpose. 

This team without Morant is essentially a bunch of young players with no direction. Keeping Morant for these next two seasons will give them some guidance and help them mature. Morant might have some off court issues at times, but he’s been around this team when they were young and bad. Being that mentor, while also having a reason to prove himself might just be the thing he needs to unlock himself again. 

Trading Morant just puts the Grizzlies in a worse position than they are and they’ve already reduced themselves to rock bottom. Giving up draft capital just to trade Morant isn’t worth it. Trading him just because things aren’t great right now isn’t worth it. Moving away from him now just means you’re blindly entering this next rebuild phase. 

And unless Kleiman has tricks up his sleeve, he’s not the GM Sam Presti is. The Grizzlies won’t come out of this rebuild with a solid core. They’ll just come out with a bunch of players that won’t be able to get over the proverbial hump.

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