One of the more brutal consequences of the NBA Trade business revolves around locker-room dynamics. Players who found their friends and made a home for themselves in a particular city are, all of a sudden, forced to catch the next flight out. Jaren Jackson Jr. dealt with that in February, and Ja Morant wasn’t a happy man.
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In the Memphis Grizzlies circles, Morant was expected to be the one to be traded, considering his falling out with the franchise. But it was Jackson who departed in the end. It ended the Morant-Jackson partnership in Memphis, which had been going seven years strong.
Jackson was part of a fairly big package, which saw Utah receive John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vance Williams Jr. The Grizzlies, in return got Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr., Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three first-round picks. Still, that was not enough to fill the hole left in Morant’s heart.
Morant, in a media scrum, revealed that the trade was “difficult.” He added, “I wasn’t a fan of it, but it’s a business, so, like I told him [Jackson], he’s been a pro for eight years now, so continue to be that.”
Of course, the Jazz aren’t in a good place right now to dream of success, or playing in the post-season. But neither are the Grizzlies. So for both, it’s about riding this season out and then planning their futures.
Morant, however, is in a trickier position. He publicly clashed with Tuomas Iisalo and was even suspended for it. He may very well be in the trade block, and might have even departed had his stocks not been so low in the February shipping season.
When asked if he would like to stay in Memphis, though, Morant responded positively in the same interview, saying, “I hope so. You would know more than me. The internet is right there. Everything you’re asking me has been on the internet.” He also believes he can be happy on this team again, like he was between 2021 and 2023.
