It’s not really a question of if anymore. It’s when.
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have been headed for a split for a while now, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst thinks the writing is on the wall after what the team did on draft night. Memphis took Duke freshman Cam Boozer with the third overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and Windhorst sees that as the franchise signaling a full rebuild around a new face.
“It’s not really a question for the Grizzlies; they’re going to really try to trade him,” Windhorst said. “I think we probably have seen the last moments of Ja Morant in a Grizzlies uniform. It just depends on how it’s going to play itself out. They are looking to totally reset their franchise. Cam Boozer’s selection at number three is part of that.”
Boozer looks like the future, not a running mate
Sure, there’s a scenario where Memphis tries to run a Boozer-Morant backcourt and see if the chemistry clicks. But that feels more like wishful thinking than a real plan. Boozer comes in as a young, cheap, high-upside prospect with none of the off-court baggage Morant has accumulated. Meanwhile, Morant’s relationship with the organization has been strained for years, and the 2025-26 season apparently pushed things past the breaking point.
The Grizzlies have been actively shopping the former No. 2 pick, but finding a trade partner has been tough. His contract is massive, and teams are hesitant to absorb that kind of money for a player whose production hasn’t always matched the headaches. Windhorst pointed out that the 2026 draft made things even harder for Memphis — the teams that needed a franchise point guard already got their guy.
“The one thing the Grizzlies have on their side that they could use in a Ja Morant trade would be a $29 million trade exception, one of the largest trade exceptions in the history of the NBA,” Windhorst added. “They can use that to get involved in trades.”
Memphis holds a rare trade chip
That exception is no small thing. It gives Memphis flexibility that most teams in a trade standoff don’t have. They can absorb salary without sending matching money back, which opens up three-team deals or creative packages that otherwise wouldn’t work. The Grizzlies might not have a clean path to a deal right now, but that exception is a powerful lever once the right partner shows up.
Morant has all the talent in the world. He’s explosive, electric, and capable of carrying a franchise on his back. But the off-court incidents — the gun stuff, the suspensions, the tension with the front office — have worn out the organization’s patience. And when a team drafts your potential replacement at No. 3, the message is clear.
The Grizzlies are hitting reset. Boozer is the new face. Morant is the outgoing star. And Windhorst’s read on the situation is about as straightforward as it gets.
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