Grizzlies’ Ja Morant reportedly drawing minimal trade interest

The buzz around Ja Morant hasn’t exactly matched the reality, at least according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst.

They describe league-wide trade interest in the Grizzlies guard as “tepid,” and suggest the chatter connecting Morant to the Heat has been overstated. The Heat, per ESPN, remain laser-focused on keeping their books clean for the summer of 2027, when multiple franchise-level stars could theoretically hit the market.

Morant’s contract complicates that plan, with a fully guaranteed $44.9 million salary on the books for 2027-28.

In other words, Miami isn’t eager to clog future cap space for a move that doesn’t clearly elevate them into true contention.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald echoed that sentiment, writing that the Heat haven’t made an offer and would only have interest if Memphis were essentially giving Morant away. Jackson even joked that the Grizzlies might need to include a first-round pick just to make Miami think about it.

As for the rest of the league, ESPN’s reporting paints a similarly muted picture. Executives around the NBA don’t see a robust market forming, citing Morant’s recent injuries and uneven production.

The Bucks were mentioned as a possible long-shot option, but even that talk appears exploratory rather than aggressive.