Ja Morant Stays Put at Deadline as Heat Shift Focus Elsewhere
Ja Morant’s name was one of the more intriguing storylines leading up to the NBA trade deadline, but when the dust settled, the high-flying guard was still wearing Memphis Grizzlies blue. Despite mounting speculation about a possible split between Morant and the franchise, no deal materialized-and for now, the Grizzlies are holding onto their star.
Among the teams that had been loosely connected to Morant, the Miami Heat drew the most attention. There was plenty of buzz around the idea of Miami pulling off a blockbuster move, but according to insider Jake Fischer, the Heat's interest cooled well before the deadline. In fact, Miami hadn’t even checked in on Morant in the days leading up to the cutoff, as their focus reportedly shifted to a much bigger target: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“There was definitely noise and smoke; the Heat were trying to pull off both Ja and Giannis,” Fischer said. “To my understanding, the Heat weren’t really even that serious [about Morant].
From the conversation I had Wednesday night, before the deadline, they hadn’t checked in on Ja for several days. They were far more preoccupied with Giannis.”
That shift in priorities tells you a lot about how the Heat viewed Morant’s current situation. While they had shown some interest earlier in the process, it sounds like they were only willing to engage if the deal made sense financially and fit their long-term plans. Given Morant’s recent injury history and off-court issues, Miami seemed hesitant to make a major commitment.
Meanwhile, no other team stepped up with a strong enough offer to tempt Memphis. Morant’s talent is undeniable-he’s one of the league’s most explosive guards when healthy-but the combination of his availability concerns and the size of his contract likely gave front offices pause.
Still, there’s plenty of belief around the league in what Morant can do when he’s on the floor. Former NBA guard Lou Williams, speaking on Run It Back, said he expects Morant to use the remainder of the season to remind people just how special he is.
“I think the Grizzlies allow him to shine and be the Ja Morant we’re accustomed to seeing,” Williams said.
There’s no question the 26-year-old has the ability to change a game in a heartbeat. Since being drafted No. 2 overall in 2019, Morant has built a reputation as one of the most electrifying players in the league.
But this season has been a frustrating one. He’s appeared in just 20 of Memphis’ 49 games, averaging 19.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists.
The flashes are still there-his playmaking, his explosiveness, his ability to take over late in games-but the consistency has been harder to come by.
With the trade deadline now in the rearview, all eyes turn to the offseason. If Morant finishes strong, it could reset the conversation entirely. Whether that means a fresh start somewhere else or a renewed commitment in Memphis remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Ja Morant’s story is far from finished.