The trade rumors surrounding Memphis Grizzlies player Ja Morant are continuing to ramp up after the team's 25-57 season.
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One big reason is that the former second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft did not take part in an annual event. He did not have an exit interview with members of the media before heading into the offseason.
Morant is not the only player to skip the exit interviews. The Grizzlies actually had three — Morant, Brandon Clarke, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Clarke's absence was expected after his early April arrest on multiple charges, including trafficking a controlled substance.
The absence of Morant, however, served as an indication that the one-time face of the franchise could soon head to another team. If this move happened, it would continue what has been a rebuild for the Grizzlies. The team has also traded away Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.
This should be very telling as to what the Grizzlies' plans are this offseason.
No Clarke was expected, but no KCP or Morant is notable. https://t.co/TAL40DXRzY
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) April 13, 2026
This is not the first indicator that Morant will move on to another team. According to reports, the team told him to not show up for fan appreciation night. He did not give a jersey to a fan in attendance as the other players did.
A two-time All-Star, Morant played a major role on the Grizzlies from 2019 until the end of the 2022-2023 season. However, he only played in 59 combined games the next two seasons while serving suspensions for incidents with guns and while dealing with various injuries.
The 2025-2026 season only saw Morant on the court for 20 games. He posted a career-low 41% from the field and a career-low 23.5% from the three-point range.
He also served a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. This followed a post-game confrontation with coach Tuomas Iisalo in November 2025. According to ESPN, Iisalo challenged his effort and leadership. The point guard responded in a manner that the team found to be inappropriate.
This suspension seemed to highlight the rift between Morant and the coaching staff. It created the belief that he could exit via trade. Now, the absence from exit interviews has taken that conversation a step further.
