Uncertainty grips the Grizzlies as Ja Morant's future, roster fit, and trade potential dominate this insightful podcast discussion.
With the Memphis Grizzlies navigating one of the most uncertain stretches of the season, the Grizzlies Roundtable turned its focus this week to the franchise’s biggest fault line: what comes next for Ja Morant and the organization built around him.
Hosted by Grant Afseth and James Piercey, the episode leaned into sustained themes that have followed Memphis for months — availability, roster fit, and whether the team is approaching a point where incremental fixes are no longer enough.
Afseth, who has covered the Grizzlies extensively in written form throughout the season, used the episode to contextualize where Memphis stands entering the heart of the schedule. The Grizzlies opened the week at 18-23, clinging to the final play-in spot in the Western Conference after a season defined by injuries and lineup churn. Morant and rookie center Zach Edey, envisioned as a long-term pairing, have barely shared the floor, leaving much of the roster operating in stopgap mode.
Piercey, who writes for SB Nation’s Rockets site The Dream Shake and contributes league-wide coverage elsewhere, brought a national perspective shaped by years of watching teams attempt to build around high-usage guards. His stance on Memphis’ situation was blunt.
“With the way the league is trending, a sub six-four guard who can’t shoot threes is just a really, really difficult building block,” Piercey said. “I would be aggressively trying to trade Ja Morant.”
Piercey stressed that his position was not a referendum on Morant’s talent, but rather on roster construction and the narrowing margin for error required to build a contender around his archetype. He pointed to spacing demands, defensive coverage trends, and what he described as accumulated strain between Morant and the organization.
Afseth pushed the discussion beyond pure basketball theory, noting the emotional gravity of such a move. Morant was once the face of a 50-win team, briefly sat atop MVP ladders and helped define Memphis’ rise from rebuild to contender. Moving on would represent more than a strategic pivot.
“It’s frustrating for Grizzlies fans,” Afseth said. “They’ve seen how high this team can go, and now they’re talking about tearing it down.”
From there, the conversation shifted to the trade market itself. Rather than rehashing speculative rumors, the hosts evaluated fits through financial flexibility, timeline alignment, and offensive structure. Teams such as the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Minnesota Timberwolves were discussed largely as imperfect matches, each presenting significant schematic or roster conflicts.
Two destinations stood out as more plausible. Piercey identified Miami as a franchise that might believe it can rehabilitate Morant’s value and maximize his strengths within a demanding culture. Afseth highlighted the Phoenix Suns as a less obvious but potentially aggressive suitor, noting their willingness to gamble, limited draft control, and the offensive balance Morant could bring alongside Devin Booker.
“If Phoenix is going to go down swinging,” Afseth said, “that’s the kind of swing they might have to take.”
The episode also addressed Memphis’ internal options should the front office choose a longer view. Piercey advocated for embracing a true reset if Morant is moved, building around younger pieces like Cedric Coward while evaluating whether Edey can anchor a modern offense.
Afseth raised the complications of keeping Jaren Jackson Jr. amid a teardown, noting the difficult conversations that arise when timelines no longer align.
Throughout the discussion, the tone remained measured rather than sensational. The goal, both hosts emphasized, is not to predict an outcome but to examine why the Grizzlies are here — a talented roster stalled by injuries, shifting philosophies, and unresolved questions at the top.
As the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches, the Grizzlies Roundtable continues to serve as a space for sustained analysis rather than reaction. For Memphis, clarity may still be elusive. But the questions surrounding Morant, roster direction, and organizational patience are no longer theoretical — and the clock is getting louder.