Grizzlies' Ja Morant Trade Market Freezes

ESPN insiders say the Grizzlies would face a thin market if they tried to trade Ja Morant, with Tim MacMahon asking, "do you find a lot of people that believe there's gonna be some robust market if they do shop Ja Morant?" That sober assessment follows Morant's one-game suspension after a postgame exchange and his "go ask the coaching staff" comment — issues that, combined with a heavy contract and past suspensions, blunt Memphis' leverage. Merlin sees Memphis at a crossroads: GM Zach Kleiman must decide whether to repair ties with a two-time All-Star or accept that any deal will likely return modest assets. Contending teams near the luxury-tax apron will hesitate to absorb salary and risk, so a move now would probably favor rebuilding flexibility over immediate star-for-star replacement.