The latest rumors suggest the Memphis Grizzlies were seeking a big return for Morant at the deadline. They may need to readjust their expectations.
The Memphis Grizzlies' future is unlikely to include Ja Morant.
That's just reality. It's something their fans should grow accustomed to. One way or another, Memphis is likely to find a new home for Morant this summer.
It's rumored that they looked for one at the deadline. It's now emerging that Memphis was interested in acquiring Ryan Rollins and a first-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Durant.
If that's true, the Grizzlies may want to lower their expectations.
Grizzlies can't expect too much for Morant
At the risk of beating a dead horse, let's talk about Morant.
In the 20 games he did play this year, Morant averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per game. That's solid, but for a player with Morant's flaws, it isn't enough.
Morant shot 23.5% from long-range. He's small. Stop me if you've heard this before: A non-shooting, small guard is a tough sell in the modern NBA, no matter how productive they're capable of being.
Morant is also highly injury-prone and suspension-prone. So, we're looking at a small, non-shooting guard who can't stay on the floor:
Yeah, Rollins and a first was a little too ambitious.
By contrast, Rollins shot 40.6% from deep. He's not especially tall, but he's a much better defender than Morant. Even if the Bucks wind up moving Giannis Antetokounmpo, they'll likely want to keep such a portable young guard to pair with their next franchise player. Morant is not that type of complementary player:
Can the Grizzlies even hope to move him?
The Grizzlies need to find a desperate suitor for Morant
Sure. The Grizzlies' best chance is to find a team that wants to build around Morant. This would be a team that doesn't currently have that franchise guy. The Sacramento Kings feel like a possibility here.
Alternatively, there could be a team that thinks they can rein in Morant's worst (on and off court) habits. They'll feel that they can get the most out of him. This feels like the Miami Heat's spot.
In either case, the Grizzlies must accept that they aren't getting anything as valuable as Rollins and an unprotected first. They may seek a three-team deal with Sacramento to see if anyone else wants Domantas Sabonis. Either way, the Heat's presumptive offer of a couple of intriguing, unproven players is likely what the Grizzlies will be looking at.
Morant is just not the type of player to fetch a more impressive return.