Grizzlies standout Ja Morant may be available. That does not mean he is going to Miami or Milwaukee.
ESPN insider Tim Bontemps said he does not expect the Heat or the Bucks to land the Grizzlies’ point guard, despite both teams being loosely linked in recent weeks.
“I’ve stopped saying never about things,” Bontemps said, “but I feel confident that Ja Morant will not be a Heat and will not be a Buck.”
Morant is owed $39.4 million this season and does not have a no-trade clause. League sources have indicated Memphis is willing to listen, with draft picks and young players believed to be the priority. Still, landing spots matter, and timing matters more.
Miami is not eager to make a major move without clarity on Giannis Antetokounmpo. As long as the Bucks’ star remains in Milwaukee, the Heat are expected to protect their assets rather than deploy them on Morant, a position echoed previously by The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
Morant has appeared in 19 games this season, averaging 19.3 points and 7.8 assists while shooting just over 40 percent from the field. The explosiveness is still there. The efficiency and availability have wavered.
The Grizzlies can shop him. The league can speculate. But according to Bontemps, two of the loudest rumored destinations are already off the board.
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