The Memphis Grizzlies just haven’t been the same team they were in the 2023 NBA season when they finished 51-31 and locked up the second seed in the Western Conference. This year, they barely squeezed into the eighth spot and were eliminated without winning a single game in the first round.
The Grizzlies have plenty to sort out this offseason, and what happens next with Ja Morant is near the top of the list.
The 25-year-old has been plagued with injuries over the past two seasons and just suffered another one, exiting Game 3 with a hip injury. Morant also experienced a down year overall, with noticeable drops across the stat sheet.
At this point, the Grizzlies have to wonder if Morant is still the franchise cornerstone they can count on moving forward or if it is time to shift toward a new identity. If a move happens, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints suggests the Sacramento Kings could be a landing spot, particularly given their need for a point guard.
“The trade market for point guards is thin because of unknowns surrounding teams with questions of their own entering the summer,” Siegel wrote. “Trae Young and Ja Morant are the two younger stars a team like the Kings would have the option of discussing in trade talks should the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies open those conversations.”
