NBA Executive Stirs Up Ja Morant Trade Rumors That May Have Some Validity

Ja Morant could be the next NBA superstar on the move. While it seems borderline insane to think that a small-market team like the Memphis Grizzlies would trade away arguably the most exciting player to ever wear the team's jersey - Jason Williams says hello - nothing is off limits in today's NBA.

Howard Beck of The Ringer has reported that he recently spoke to an unnamed league executive who mentioned that Morant is a name to look out for that may land on the trading block this summer.

"I'm constantly checking in with executives around trade deadline about like, okay, what we saw, what we didn't see, what's next, and in this league, you are always, always, always on the lookout for who's the next wave of stars that are going to get dealt, right?" Beck said.

"And somebody out of the blue said, keep an eye on Ja [Morant] this summer. I'm just saying it's one of those things I'm just kind of keeping an eye on if they were to flame out early."

Morant, who is still only 25-years-old, is the face of the Grizzlies, puts butts in the seats in Memphis, and, when healthy, is very much the piece that runs the engine in Memphis.

You could remove Morant's name from that previous sentence and insert Luka Doncic, and the same would ring true for his situation in Dallas, yet the Mavericks stunningly traded him away to the Los Angeles Lakers out of absolutely nowhere. 

Ja Morant could be on the trade block this summer, according to one NBA excutive who is keeping close tabs on the Grizzlies' superstar. Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Doncic turns 26 later this month, is a certified superstar and gamechanger, but has dealt with his own share of injuries as well. Now, Doncic is a step ahead of Morant in terms of stardom, but their situations are similar, which adds at least an ounce of validity to the executive's claim that Morant could be dealt this offseason.

Morant's current contract runs through the 2027-28 season when he will carry a cap hit of nearly $45 million, but another angle to look at this beyond his large contract and very real injury history is what Memphis may, or may not do, this postseason. 

Following a first-round exit in the playoffs two years ago and missing the postseason altogether last season, another loss in the first round this time around could turn the seat of head coach Taylor Jenkins very, very hot. 

A complete reset in sending Morant and Jenkins elsewhere in the same offseason would be shocking to see from a Western Conference contender, but the Doncic trade and the league continually being fueled by drama makes anything possible.