It seems like Morant wants to stay in Memphis. That shouldn't matter to the organization.
Ja Morant seemingly wants to stay with the Memphis Grizzlies.
That's what he's indicated at every opportunity. Morant has never said otherwise. Recently, he explicitly stated that he's been happy for his entire tenure in Memphis.
Perhaps that's true. That said, any relationship is a two-way street. Morant can be happy in Memphis:
That doesn't mean Memphis has to be happy with Morant.
It's not Morant's fault that he's injury-prone.
That's also a moot point. The NBA can be a cold business environment. The Grizzlies don't need accountability from Morant as badly as they need availability.
It is Morant's fault, to whatever extent you believe in free will, that he's suspension-prone. This is a young man who can improve his habits, but between his injuries and his off-court antics, he has not been available for the Grizzlies nearly as often as one would like.
He's not a perfect basketball player, either. Morant is a small guard without much of a three-pointer to speak of. His talents are other-worldly, but he's the type of player you need to deliberately build a team around:
And that's not something the Grizzlies should be looking to do at the moment.
Right now, the Grizzlies look like a blank slate.
They already traded Jaren Jackson Jr. He was a perfect player to complement Morant. Sending him to Utah should have signified that the Grizzlies are looking to rebuild.
Why do so in Morant's image? Sure, the Grizzlies could draft someone in this year's class who complements Morant. That could tempt them to keep him in town:
But it shouldn't.
Say the Grizzlies are lucky enough to land AJ Dybansta. His potential is unlimited, but he won't be ready to win for a few years. The Grizzlies would be smarter to reset the team around his - as well as Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, and others' - timeline.
Morant's value will be limited. That's an unfortunate reality. The Grizzlies won't get the same return for him that they got for even Jackson Jr.
They still ought to move him for the best return they can find. Even a solid young player and an expiring contract would suffice. It will signify the end of an era, but just as importantly, it will mark the beginning of a new one:
Even if it's not what Morant wants.