The Milwaukee Bucks pursued a trade for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. However, they declined to include a key player.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks pursued a trade for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant before this year's trade deadline in February.
However, the Bucks declined to include Ryan Rollins in any offer.
The Grizzlies wound up not trading Morant, who was open to getting traded to the Bucks, sources told Grizzlies Roundtable.
Morant will make $42.1 million next season and $44 million in the 2027-28 season, the final year of his contract. The Grizzlies intend to trade Morant this offseason, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Memphis traded big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz this season and parted ways with Desmond Bane last offseason, sending the guard to the Orlando Magic. The franchise is tearing the roster down and starting from scratch.
Morant appeared in only 20 games this season for the Grizzlies because of injuries. He averaged 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists per contest while shooting 41.0% from the field, 23.5% from 3 and 89.7% from the free-throw line.
The 2019-20 Rookie of the Year, Morant has led the Grizzlies to the second round of the playoffs only once. That was back in 2022 with Brooks, Bane and Jackson Jr.
Morant, 26, has career averages of 22.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. He was the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Murray State. The point guard has been suspended by the league twice for showing a gun on IG Live.
Memphis entertained offers to trade Morant at this year's trade deadline. Many individuals who cover the NBA believe the Grizzlies will trade Morant this offseason.
It will be intriguing to see if the Morant era in Memphis ends after this season.
Along with the Bucks, Morant has been linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings in trade rumors.