Morant shuts down Kings trade rumors, preferring Miami or Minnesota. Sacramento faces deadline uncertainty with Sabonis talks stalled.
In the midst of the never-ending Domantas Sabonis-Toronto Raptors trade rumblings, the Sacramento Kings could make an extreme pivot prior to the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
At least, that's what the rebuilding franchise thought until Wednesday evening before their reported pursuit of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant took an evident turn for the worst.
On Wednesday, recent updates from Yahoo Sports' NBA insider Kelly Iko indicated that Morant's and his representation have taken the time to evaluate what a scenario involving a trade to the Kings would look like, leading to an unfortunate result for the franchise.
"With 24 hours to go until the trade deadline, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and his camp are disinterested with the idea of playing in Sacramento, with a strong preference for Miami (Heat) or Minnesota (Timberwolves) in the event he is dealt, sources tell Yahoo Sports," Iko shared via X.
After the bombshell notice from the 2-time All-Star's camp, Sacramento's general manager Scott Perry might not have many other directions to head in before deadline day arrives.
Sabonis-Toronto talks have been stymied by the Raptors' hesitance to include first-round draft capital in a deal for the 3-time rebounding champion and All-Star center, and now Morant has effectively removed the Kings from his list of preferred trade destinations.
Sacramento's questionable interest in Morant made little sense from the beginning, considering that the Kings' most pertinent goal has been to land either valued young pieces or draft capital in any deal, and not to bring in a proven talent to accelerate their competitive timeline.
The Kings currently own the NBA's worst record at 12-39 and are in the midst of a nine-game skid, perfecting their craft with regard to tanking for what could be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Now, Morant has his sights set on a franchise currently ready to compete in both the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves, leaving the Kings to figure out their Sabonis debacle with the Raptors and potentially net more than just a few second-rounders in exchange for one of their main centerpieces.
In just 20 appearances with the Grizzlies this season, Morant has contributed 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds on a horrendous 44.1% effective field goal percentage, experiencing a shocking fall from grace compared to his 2021-22 Most Improved Player campaign (27.4 points, 6.7 assists).
The Kings are not nearly on the same timeline as the 26-year-old Morant, and it's time that either the franchise or Morant's closest advisors make this detail apparent.
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