The Grizzlies just shocked the league when they traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz. Jackson Jr. was fresh off a 30-point performance in last night's win against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home. Just hours later, he was traded despite previously signing a mega contract extension this past summer.
With the Grizzlies having underachieved the last few seasons and currently sitting ten games below .500, the Grizzlies decided to head in a different direction. The previous core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane is now down to just Ja Morant. With the Grizzlies entering a rebuild, it is best to stay committed to a fresh start by trading Ja Morant next.
Morant has not been consistently available the last few years
In the last 3 seasons combined, Ja Morant has appeared in just 79 games for the Grizzlies. Morant remains very talented but has struggled to stay on the floor. Morant got off to a strong return in the 2023/24 season after a 25-game suspension but only appeared in 9 games before needing season-ending right shoulder surgery for a labrum tear.
Since then, Morant has still continued to miss significant time with injuries. In the 2024/25 season, Morant appeared in just 50 regular season games, and now this year, Morant has only played in 20 of the Grizzlies' 48 games so far. One of the best abilities is availability; however, Morant simply has not been available for large stretches of the Grizzlies' last 3 seasons.
A fresh start is best for both parties
When Ja Morant is truly at his best, he is still one of the better point guards in the entire NBA. However, he has struggled to find a consistent rhythm amid injuries and the coaching change from Jenkins to Iisalo. Morant had a strong finish to last year's regular season, but this season has mostly been a struggle when he's been available.
For the season, Morant is averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists (tied for career best). However, the bigger story is how inefficient he has been as a shooter. Morant is currently shooting career lows from the field and on three-point shots. Oddly enough, Morant has a career-high shooting percentage at the free throw line. The Grizzlies are much better when Morant is at his best, but he has simply struggled with offensive inconsistency.
The most glaring event of the season was on Halloween night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Cup. Ja Morant voiced his frustration with Tuomas Iisalo and the rest of the coaching staff. Morant had a very low-energy second-half performance, which contributed to the Grizzlies blowing a double-digit lead. While there are still fair criticisms of the coaching staff, the incident was still disappointing given that Morant needs to be a leader at this stage of his career.
A trade would likely benefit Morant, as he gets a fresh start elsewhere, and the Grizzlies get to create more future flexibility. Ja Morant is one of the most talented players to wear a Grizzlies jersey, but it is a matter of time before he ends up on a new team. Even if Morant thrives elsewhere, the Grizzlies must be committed to the new direction they are heading in.