Ja Morant Trade Drama: Grizzlies Listening

Merlin sees the Grizzlies quietly shopping Ja Morant while the star shrugs and says he will "live with it." He finds Morant amused by the buzz—"Yeah, I see it. It's cool. Funny." Reports say Morant was "deeply disappointed" and ESPN notes multiple teams are circling. Coach Tuomas Iisalo declined to expand, saying "We are not in the business of commenting on random internet reports" and that Morant is "progressing in the practices." Merlin notes the cracks that led here: a 17-22 team, Morant’s worst offensive season (19.0 points, 40.1 percent shooting, 50.6 true shooting), 21 missed games, and fallout from earlier roster moves like Desmond Bane’s exit. Trading him would be the next chapter, but the market could be muted. Expect tense negotiations and more signals before any curtain fall.