Timberwolves, Kings among teams keeping eye on Ja Morant situation

There is growing league curiosity about whether the Ja Morant thing in Memphis is headed somewhere, and the Timberwolves and Kings are among the teams quietly monitoring the situation, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Morant just served a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team — then came back Monday, scored 18 and 10, and basically admitted he has no joy playing basketball right now.

Coach Tuomas Iisalo has been using a deeper rotation and more frequent substitutions. Morant is still leading the Grizzlies at 29.4 minutes per game, but a dozen players are averaging 13-plus minutes.

It’s a new philosophy, and Morant appears to be chafing at it. He’s also off to a rough start, at 39 percent shooting and 14 percent from deep.

League executives are watching it. Because if you could buy low on Morant? You’d at least have the meeting.

The snag? There’s no indication Memphis wants to move him. And Morant’s value isn’t what it once was. Injuries. Prior suspensions. Now this.

Minnesota makes some sense — Mike Conley is 38, Rob Dillingham is 20, Donte DiVincenzo is a two-guard moonlighting as a point guard. But the Wolves have limited picks and aren’t a clean salary-match team.

Sacramento might be better positioned if this ever turned into something. But per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the Kings have not spoken with Memphis about Morant. At least not yet.

Houston, meanwhile, is not expected to dive in, per Amick.

We’re still three months from the trade deadline. Lots of players don’t become trade-eligible until Dec. 15.

This could quiet down. Or it could go the other way.

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