During a season in which the Memphis Grizzlies have struggled because of injuries to multiple starters, there is the possibility two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant and the franchise may soon be parting ways.
Reports surfaced Friday before the team’s home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder that the Grizzlies are entertaining offers for Morant ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Morant’s availability for Sunday’s game against the visiting Brooklyn Nets is uncertain, not because of the reports, but because of a lingering right calf injury that has kept him sidelined for the team’s past four games.
The Grizzlies could have used Morant on Friday against the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder, who were playing without starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Memphis built a 21-point second-half lead, but fell in the closing minutes as the Thunder outscored the Grizzlies 14-2 in the final 3:19 for a 117-116 victory. It was the Grizzlies’ sixth loss in the past seven games.
Morant has missed 20 of the team’s 38 games due to various injuries and a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. He was suspended after public comments criticizing the coaching staff after an Oct. 31 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since the suspension, Morant hasn’t spent significant time on the court. He has appeared in only 12 games and scored more than 20 points just four times.
One of those was a season-high 40 points in an overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 30.
Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo would not comment on the reports before or after Friday’s game.
But several Memphis players spoke about the situation, including Jaren Jackson Jr., who has played seven seasons with Morant.
“The business of basketball, it takes a toll,” Jackson Jr. said. “And I told him, too. I think we’ve seen it all. I think we’ve seen so many different things. It’s just a tough thing, man. But he showed up to the game, he’s still around. You can understand the mood, something like that.”
Morant has spent his first seven seasons with the Grizzlies after being selected No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft. At one point, he was considered a future face of the NBA before injuries and off-court issues intervened. During the past three seasons, Morant has not played more than seven consecutive games.
While Memphis is dealing with its struggles, Brooklyn has also had its share of issues. The Nets are 11-24 following Friday’s 121-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and have dropped five of their last six.
In Friday’s defeat, the Nets had an uncharacteristic off-night from leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. A 39.7% shooter from long range this season, he went 0 of 9 from deep, a game after sinking eight 3s against the Orlando Magic.
“Michael took multiple shots that he usually makes,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. “I’m not worried about it. It’s very rare. It’s going to happen once every five years that Mike misses nine 3s. If he had shot five more (times), they would have gone in.”
The Nets, the NBA’s youngest team, lost at the buzzer in overtime to Orlando on Wednesday. Fernandez remains upbeat as the season approaches the midway point.
“There’s room to improve,” Fernandez said. “And I know our guys care and they are going to come back and get better.”
