Ja Morant Trade Rumors Fizzle for Grizzlies

Ja Morant's 24 points and 13 assists in Sunday’s 126-109 win over Orlando did little to change the trade calculus, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps said. MacMahon called a trade "extremely unpopular" in Memphis and Bontemps said "there's very limited interest" around the league. Morant has reaffirmed his commitment to the Grizzlies, but dipping shooting numbers, repeated injuries and an 18-23 club record have reduced his market value. Merlin sees a delicate balance. A bright performance soothes fans but cannot erase missed time or falling efficiency. For a small-market team, the PR hit of moving its cornerstone plus the likelihood of a weak return makes the front office wary. Sunday’s win is a hopeful turn, not a decisive shift.