At this point, I don't think it would surprise anyone if the Memphis Grizzlies traded Ja Morant. He called out the coaching staff after Friday night's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers when he shot 3-14 from the field. Morant was later suspended for Memphis' game on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors.
However, given Morant's injury and maturity questions, he could be available for a cheaper price than you might expect. ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps spoke to this.
"Bontemps, you say trade him, here's the problem… I don't think there's much — you guys talk to people, I talk to people — do you find a lot of people that believe there's gonna be some robust market if they do shop Ja Morant?"
"No, I don't think there is one," Bontemps replied.
On one hand, this could indicate that teams (perhaps including the Minnesota Timberwolves) aren't interested in Morant, and the Grizzlies ultimately might not sell low on him. Nevertheless, if Morant is available for a discount price, that should catch the Timberwolves' attention, who desperately need a point guard. Plus, there's always a chance that Morant demands a trade, which would further hurt his value and force the Grizzlies to trade him.
Ja Morant is an ideal trade target for the Timberwolves
NBA insider Marc Stein rightfully noted this situation has long been worth monitoring from a trade standpoint. When the Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane, a rebuild seemed more likely. Furthermore, Morant didn't earn a contract extension this offseason, and general manager Zach Kleiman called it "a big season for Ja."
While you could argue MacMahon and Bontemps made a Morant trade seem less likely, Stein's reporting certainly makes it feel more likely.
Does Morant have real concerns? Absolutely, that's why he likely doesn't have a robust market. Notably, Ja hasn't played in more than 65 games outside of his rookie season. Additionally, he's been suspended multiple times for maturity issues. Regardless, the Wolves shouldn't pass up on a chance to land a star guard at a cheap cost.
Morant's skill set as an athletic rim finisher and playmaker perfectly suits the Wolves' needs. For a team with championship aspirations, a point guard room of Mike Conley, Rob Dillingham, and Bones Hyland likely won't cut it.
If Morant had a robust market, the Wolves would be counted out due to their high payroll and lack of assets. But if you can land him for some combination of Naz Reid/Rudy Gobert/Donte DiVincenzo/Mike Conley, young talent, and draft capital, that's a risk worth taking.
Morant and Anthony Edwards would form arguably the most dynamic backcourt in league history. Just as importantly, Morant would be stepping into an established culture and a team that just made back-to-back conference finals appearances. Simply put, they wouldn't tolerate Ja's antics, which would help him get his career back on track.
A complementary star role also best suits Ja at this point in his career. Ultimately, whether a move happens or not, it's fair to expect that Tim Connelly will inquire about Morant.