Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson reported that Ja Morant’s future in Memphis is drawing fresh scrutiny as the Grizzlies sit at 25-55 with two games remaining, leaving the team out of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. With Morant having stayed past the trade deadline, Robinson wrote that the outcome looked less like a missed “mystery team” and more like a lukewarm market around the star guard.
The report said the league view around Morant has shifted to “negative value,” citing a lack of meaningful offers and concerns about long-term reliability. It also noted that his high salary and recurring off-court issues have weighed on his trade stock.
Morant’s on-court season did little to quiet the noise. In 20 games, he averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 41.0% from the field and a career-low 23.5% from three.
Even so, Morant has continued to project loyalty to Memphis publicly. The bigger question, as Robinson framed it, is whether the 2026 offseason finally turns him from franchise centerpiece into trade candidate.
The report also pointed to tension around the Grizzlies’ final home game against Cleveland on “Fan Appreciation Night.” According to the piece, every active player handed jerseys to fans except Morant, and one unnamed source said, “He just stood there and watched his teammates give away their jerseys. Who does that? The writing is on the wall.”
A separate source offered a different explanation, saying Morant was informed only an hour before tipoff that he would not be part of the giveaway. That source added, “He’s unhappy with how he’s being treated,” and said he feels “alienated by the organization.”
Robinson also reported that Morant had interest in Miami as a preferred destination, while Sacramento and Milwaukee checked on his availability around the deadline. Another source close to Morant said, “Ja didn’t know who was coming at him until after the deadline,” arguing the lack of movement was not proof that no one wanted him.
