Memphis’s Ja Morant recently returned strong in London with 24 points and 13 assists, but league insiders say a blockbuster trade to Miami or Milwaukee is improbable.
Tim Bontemps said on The Hoop Collective, “I feel confident that Ja Morant will not be a Heat and will not be a Buck,” a blunt assessment that reflects league chatter.
Bontemps and Brian Windhorst describe interest as “tepid,” saying there is no robust market developing for the two-time All-Star. That view tracks with Miami’s public posture: sources say the Heat remain focused on preserving cap flexibility ahead of the 2027 offseason.
Miami executives are reportedly prioritizing long-term windows to pursue stars such as Nikola Jokic or Giannis Antetokounmpo, which reduces near-term appetite for Morant’s contract. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald echoed that Miami has not made an offer and would consider engaging only if Memphis treated the deal like a “complete giveaway.”
Milwaukee has surfaced in conversation, but league sources caution any Bucks interest is far from certain and would require major asset movement. From a cap and asset perspective, matching Memphis’s asking price for Morant — young core players plus protected picks — would be difficult for contenders not willing to mortgage the future.
On-court factors also mute demand: Morant is averaging 19.3 points and 7.8 assists in 19 games this season but has seen efficiency dip and turnover rates remain a concern. Memphis is 18-23 and still projects Morant as its foundational piece, making the Grizzlies unlikely to accept anything short of an elite return.
