The silence surrounding Ja Morant at the NBA trade deadline was more telling than any blockbuster deal. With trade rumors circling him the entire season, most insiders believed the star guard would find a new home. But 3 PM came and went, and he is still on the Grizzlies roster, while the team surprisingly traded his co-star, Jaren Jackson Jr. Now, a significant voice in the media warns Morant that he “better wake the hell up.”

“I usually joke when I say this, this little saying, one foot in the grave, the other on the banana peel, but I’m dead serious when I say this,” 2008 NBA champion Kendrick Perkins said on NBA Today, following the deadline. “It is disturbing to hear that a guy that won, we’re talking about a former rookie of the year, All-NBA player, All-Stars, a guy that was on the verge of being the face of the league, and a team can’t trade you.”

With a deadpan expression, Perkins slammed the table for emphasis. He acknowledged Morant’s past successes but then boldly claimed the star’s value has plummeted and that he could find himself out of the league once his contract is up because of his immovable style of play.

Morant’s name lost the value it once held in trade conversations. The Memphis Grizzlies indicated at multiple points this season that they wished to trade him, with the Miami Heat among the leading suitors, but nothing materialized. The Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings were also in the Morant sweepstakes.

Multiple teams were intrigued by the two-time All-Star’s talent, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, but none were willing to make a serious offer.

After the early-season lows, poor on-court ethics, injuries, and the suspension, Morant presents a massive risk for any team, to the point that other teams need draft capital as insurance to take him from the Grizzlies, something that made Perkins furious as he pointed it out.

What the lack of interest in a Ja Morant trade really signaled to the NBA

Today, Perkins asked viewers to take a step back and consider factors beyond this year’s deadline, and argued that Morant’s inability to be traded showcases a change in how the front offices around the league view him, even with a $197 million contract signed in 2022.

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“Forget the fact that they can’t trade him, that’s one side of it,” Perkins said, looking at the bigger picture. “But we’re talking about a guy that’s a supermax player that’s on the verge of no team wanting him and possibly could be out the league in the next two years.”

Morant has averaged career lows in efficiency this season, down to just 19.5 points per game, as he continues to launch jump shots rather than focusing on his paint scoring and inside-the-arc gravity. He is currently sidelined with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his left elbow.

However, those are not the only concerns. The real issue is that patience for Morant’s antics has run out. Front offices are evaluating more than just his skill. They’re looking at long-term reliability, availability, and optics that have been areas of concern for him this season.

Morant has been spotted arguing with teammates and was also suspended by his own team. Once that doubt crept in, it quickly spread around the league. The player expressed his desire to stay with the Grizzlies last month.

“I’ve got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be,” Morant said, referring to a tattoo of the team’s logo. “If anybody in here knows me, I’m a very loyal guy.”

But if Perkins is to be believed, Morant’s time to re-prove himself as someone a team can depend on is quickly running out.