Ja Morant became available for trade by the Memphis Grizzlies during the midseason market in January. It looked like the franchise was looking into a future without their star guard. In fact, they demanded at least one future first-round pick from any team willing to pursue Morant. However, reality came raining down on Tuesday, when insider Zach Lowe unveiled the true picture before the world.

“I have not found a team that has definitively said to me, ‘We’re definitely trying to get Ja Morant,'” Lowe said on The Zach Lowe Show by The Ringer. “And I have not heard anything since one good game happened.”

Lowe believes Ja Morant’s dominant showing in his return from injury Sunday did little to boost his trade value for the Memphis Grizzlies. The 26-year-old posted 24 points and 13 assists in just 28 minutes during Saturday’s win over the Orlando Magic in London. This marked his comeback after a 6-game injury absence.

Interestingly enough, Zach Lowe isn’t the first insider to reveal the true feelings of the 29 NBA franchises. Speaking recently on ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast, Tim Bontemps said league-wide interest in Morant has been “very limited.” Meanwhile, Tim MacMahon noted that moving Morant would be an “extremely unpopular” decision within Memphis.

Meanwhile, league executives indicate Memphis would demand heavy draft compensation to even open discussions. That stance immediately narrows the field of interest. Therefore, the asking cost looks steep when weighed against Morant’s uneven campaign, recurring absences, and a contract carrying a $42M plus cap charge for each of the next two years. As a result, interested teams face real financial and roster strain before talks progress.

Morant has logged only 59 total games across the previous two seasons, a troubling availability trend. This year, he is averaging 19.3 points across 19 outings, his lowest full-season pace since 2021. Moreover, knee and calf issues have already sidelined him for 21 games, thus making his availability a major concern for other teams in the league.

But despite all adversities, the 26-year-old isn’t leaving his team’s side.

Ja Morant speaks out about his loyalty

After missing time with a right calf problem, Ja Morant looked sharp in his return as the Grizzlies rolled past the Magic 126-109 in London. He controlled the game and showed no signs of limitation. Morant scored 24 points that night. Later, he brushed aside outside noise– Morant made it clear he has no interest in moving on from the Grizzlies.

“Anybody in here who knows me — I’m a very loyal guy,” Morant said, as Marc Stein reported. He added, “I’ve got a logo on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be.” The point guard referred to the tattoo he has of the team logo. Now, Ja Morant is under team control in Memphis through the 2027-28 season. He is midway through a five-year deal valued at $197M. For the 2025-26 season, his salary checks in at $39.4M.

Looks like the Grizzlies’ interest isn’t clashing with the interest of any other franchise in the league. Thus, Ja Morant is still in their system. However, the NBA has unique ways to surprise its fans. And who knows when and how teams could develop an eye for the 2-time All-Star!

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