The Memphis Grizzlies entered the week facing heavier questions about Ja Morant, and the swirling trade discussion only intensified after new reporting clarified the Grizzlies' position. They are not pursuing a Ja Morant trade. They are not encouraging Grizzlies trade talks. They want to keep their franchise star, and they still believe the partnership can stabilize with time, trust, and a cleaner path forward. That stance has frustrated some rival executives who hoped the door might open, even slightly, after a turbulent stretch. Instead, the Grizzlies has locked in on one message: they want this to work.
League insiders say the front office is listening to calls out of obligation, but nothing more. No proposal has come close to shifting their posture. No team has presented a “no-brainer” package, and until one does, the Grizzlies remain firm. The expectation around the league is simple. If anything changes, it won’t be because Memphis suddenly softens. It will be because Ja Morant forces the conversation to move in a direction no one in the Grizzlies organization wants to imagine.
A Nuclear Option the Grizzlies Hope to Avoid
The idea hangs in the background. Ja Morant hasn’t asked out for a trade, but insiders acknowledge the possibility exists if frustrations rise. Memphis respects him too much to ignore that risk. They know the weight a star carries. They have seen how quickly a situation can shift when a player draws a line. And they also understand that a forced move would reshape the franchise far more violently than any controlled trade they could negotiate now.
For the Grizzlies, the priority is preventing that moment. They want Morant leading them back into contention, not becoming the center of another league-wide power struggle. But pressure rarely disappears in the NBA. If the gap between hope and reality widens, what path will Memphis choose to protect its future?
