Ja Morant’s fall from NBA stardom has reached a new low. The Memphis Grizzlies aren’t just looking to trade their former franchise cornerstone — they’re finding it nearly impossible to give him away.
ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst dropped a bombshell on Get Up, revealing that Morant has what teams around the league are calling “negative value.” That means the Grizzlies would need to sweeten the deal with draft picks just to convince another team to take on his contract.
It’s a stunning reversal for a player who was once considered one of the NBA’s brightest young stars.
From All-Star to Untradeable
Morant came into the league as the second overall pick in 2019. He made his first All-Star appearance in 2022 and finished seventh in MVP voting that same season — the kind of trajectory that suggested Memphis had found its franchise player for the next decade.
The following year brought another All-Star selection. The Grizzlies looked like they were building something special around him.
Then everything started falling apart.
Multiple off-court incidents involving firearms led to suspensions handed down by commissioner Adam Silver. The controversies piled up, and Morant’s reputation took hit after hit.
Injuries have been just as big a problem. He’s played only 79 games total over the last three seasons combined — a devastating blow for a player who’s supposed to be in his prime.
The Contract Problem
Memphis is stuck with a massive financial commitment. Morant’s five-year, $197 million contract still has two years remaining, and it includes a 15 percent trade kicker that makes any deal even more expensive for a potential suitor.
Following the trade of Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah, the Grizzlies made a real push to move Morant before Thursday’s deadline.
They couldn’t find a single team willing to take him without compensation coming back their way.
“When I say he has no value, I don’t even think that’s accurate. I think he’s got what they call in the league ‘negative value,’ and what that means is teams were not willing to take Ja Morant unless the Grizzlies also attached draft compensation, in other words, you have to pay us to take him.”
Windhorst didn’t mince words about the reasons behind Morant’s plummeting stock. “Between the suspensions, the injuries, and the issues with the coaches, he has missed so many games,” he explained.
What’s Next?
At just 26 years old, there’s still time for Morant to turn things around. Players have come back from worse situations — though not many with this particular combination of off-court problems, injury concerns, and financial baggage.
For now, though, he’s living through one of the most dramatic falls from grace in recent NBA history.
The Grizzlies are are stuck with a player they can’t trade without giving up assets. Other teams see the red flags and want nothing to do with the risk, even with Morant’s undeniable talent when he’s healthy and focused.
It’s a cautionary tale about how quickly things can unravel in professional sports — and a reminder that talent alone isn’t enough if you can’t stay on the court or out of trouble off it.