Ja Morant has been involved in trade rumours all season and even after Ja recently declared he wants to stay in Memphis , the chatter has refused to stop.
With the trade deadline just two weeks away, there is no confirmation from the Grizzlies if they are putting the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year on the market. However, the absence of a denial leaves the door open. Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas , however, wonders why there is even such a door.
"Watching him play and seeing how the team is responding, why would you ever want to trade this guy?" asked Thomas. "Those guys, they don't come along that often."
Morant is one of the most electrifying players in the NBA. Blessed with otherworldly athleticism, elite playmaking and the inborn charisma that only the all-time greats possess, Ja was destined for superstardom and he was clearly on his way there.
Ja won Rookie of the Year honors in his first year, was named the league's Most Improved Player, and was an All-NBA second-team selection two years later. He also made back-to-back All-Star Game appearances in 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, his team emerged as the team of the future.
Unfortunately, a pair of gun incidents derailed his career and changed the trajectory of the Grizzlies.
"Two years ago, we were talking about them being one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the West. They lost that edge somewhere. Can they get it back? I gotta think that they probably can, if not though, you look at breaking it up. I would give it a little bit more time if I was there," he addded.
Related: ESPN analyst says the trade market is as non-hyped for Ja Morant as it was for Trae Young
Like Zeke, Golden State Warriors Draymond Green also called Morant a talent that does not grow on trees. Dray's take on Ja is valuable because the Dubs faced Ja in the second round of the playoffs during his MIP and All-NBA year in 2022.
And although Golden State eliminated Memphis in six games on the way to winning the NBA title, Morant was electric in that series, averaging 38.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 3.0 steals per game.
"What I'll say about that is, not every day do players with the ability and capabilities of a Ja Morant come available," Green said recently on his podcast. "So his hiccups — I'll call them that — that he's had off the court have kind of dropped his value a bit as far as how people see him around the league."
"And then also the injury concerns and how many games he's played over the last few years as opposed to how many games he didn't play. But make no mistake about it, an elite player — those guys just don't come up often," he added.
At 18-24 on the season, the Grizzlies are just one game out of play-in position in the Western Conference after Thursday's games. They are even just five games off Green's Warriors at No.8.
However, it remains to be seen if Ja can stay healthy as he is back on the injured list with a sprained elbow. But as Thomas advised, Memphis should think twice before deciding to move on from Ja because it might take them another era to find a player like him.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
