As the trade deadline approaches, rumors have continued to swirl regarding Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. Unsurprisingly, the Miami Heat have been at the forefront of potential suitors named in the last several days.
While his trade value is the lowest it’s ever been, how interested will the Heat be? According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, talks between the two sides have been “preliminary,” with the Heat unwilling to bid up to acquire the disgruntled star with any of their best young players or future first-round picks.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, however, there could be another priority: Cap space in the 2027-28 summer.
“Last week’s news that Memphis is entertaining a Morant trade sparked leaguewide reaction similar to when the Hawks opened Trae Young negotiations earlier this month,” the report read. “As with Young, the interest in Morant is tepid.
“The Miami Heat, in particular, have been overstated as a potential destination, sources said. The Heat have been laser focused on avoiding taking on money for the 2027-28 offseason — a season when, as of right now, Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Donovan Mitchell, among others, could all be unrestricted free agents.
“It’s highly unlikely the Heat would deviate from that plan to go after Morant, sources said.”
This mindset is … flawed, to put it nicely. Here are three reasons why:
Free Agency for top stars doesn’t exist anymore:
The 26-year-old is currently experiencing the worst season of his career. An exit appears to be best for both sides — though the market for Morant appears to be modest, at best. Thus, that raises the question whether or not it’s worth it for Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman to trade Morant.
I’ve believed that the Grizzlies don’t have to trade the two-time All-Star for 25 cents on the dollar. Obviously, that’s coming from someone (me) who is NOT behind closed doors. I’m not listening to or seeing what’s actually happening on a day-to-day basis. That may change the calculus in the Grizzlies’ thinking.
On the other hand, the Heat’s unwillingness to bid up for Morant also makes sense, given his alleged market value. However, their aforementioned reasoning doesn’t make any sense.
Free agency for stars doesn’t exist anymore. This isn’t 2010 — a world where the Heat’s brass appears to be stuck in. It worked when they didn’t have any sort of cap space in 2019 for Jimmy Butler. But since then, they’ve either struck out (in the trade market) — in part because they didn’t have enough assets — or have simply waited for their white whale to wash up on shore in free agency.
Newsflash: Most big-ticket free agents either re-up with their current team, or switch teams on the trade market. Here’s a list of a few that have moved as non-FA’s:
- Donovan Mitchell
- De’Aaron Fox
- James Harden
- James Harden
- Damian Lillard
- Mikal Bridges
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Luka Doncic
- Anthony Davis
- Pascal Siakam
The list goes on.
Ja Morant’s contract is up after 2027-28:
When Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic all become free agents — so does Morant. That’s all assuming those players don’t re-up with their current teams by that time, and that includes Morant (should he be dealt).
The two-time All-Star has just two more years left on his contract beyond 2025-26: $42.2 million in ’26-27, and $44.9 million in ’27-28. That will count for 25.4 and 25.8 percent of the projected salary cap, respectively, according to Spotrac.
The Heat only has five salaries on its books for 2027-28, with Bam Adebayo ($53.9M) and Nikola Jovic ($14.9M) as the only guaranteed deals. Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis and Dru Smith have team-options ofr those two seasons.
Morant will be eligible to sign a three-year, $178 million extension this summer.
We’ll see if his new team is willing to sign him to a lofty new deal. Similar to Washington with Trae Young, it’s likely best for the team to wait-and-see with Morant regarding a new deal.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t make any sense why the justification is to prioritize future cap space after either in 2027 or 2028 … when Morant’s contract is on the precipice of ending. And if he plays well enough to sign a good one or have value as an expiring, you’re already receiving a return on investment for paying a bargain price for that player.
If you want a star, why wait?:
Ever since Pat Riley became president over 30 years ago, the Heat have always gone star hunting. That isn’t changing tonight or tomorrow; if there’s a star available, they have some degree of interest.
If that’s the case: Why wait to acquire three years from now when you can for cheap … now?!
Do I think Morant’s a good fit? No. He’s a catastrophically bad shooter, and the Heat are already devoid of volume shooters; he’s a poor on-ball defender due to his size and strength (or lack thereof); he isn’t a fan of the offense the team implemented; and he’s a poor fit with the Miami Heat’s best players on both ends.
That said, there’s no denying the potential he has. After all, he’s still 26-years-old and a 95th percentile athlete, at worst, across the NBA. If you snag him at a bargain bin price, you do it. Don’t wait until 2028 when he may already be on a new deal — for an even higher number — with a new team.
If the Heat wanted to prioritize cap space to acquire assets (i.e., first-round draft capital) laced with bad contracts, that’s reasonable. Miami’s war chest of access is drained, making it even more difficult to parlay them for big names in the future.
If it’s for free agency, that’s flawed thinking.
A wise man once said, either you adapt, or you die.
And the Heat are dying due to their own stubbornness and mediocrity.
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Ja is a terrible 3PT shooter and defender, those are major concerns. In comparison to Trae he is a worse shooter and an equivalent defender, despite having a 6’7″ wingspan. His ceiling is higher than Trae though which makes this an interesting trade situation. He’ll likely play with something to prove once traded and the contract is only for the next two years, but it’s a big one. Still think the Heat do it and add Giannis also
Sounds like a negotiating position…The 42M/45M on Morant’s contract is definitely a big risk in this CBA. But if they can get him for a salary dump/nothing I think they do it
“He’s a catastrophically bad shooter, and the Heat are already devoid of volume shooters; he’s a poor on-ball defender due to his size and strength (or lack thereof); he isn’t a fan of the offense the team implemented; and he’s a poor fit with the Miami Heat’s best players on both ends.”
He had me at “catastrophically”
I don’t know Sun. I just watched Cleveland against Philly and I’m no a fortune teller, but it looked like those two teams would beat us catastrophically bad. I think that if we do nothing we are going to test our fans patience.
If we trade and fall on our face or if we blow it up and go with youth it will test fans
The way I look at it, the Heat need to either lean into a tank, play the kids, trade off their assets for picks, or trade for a star.
Is Ja a star? That I don’t know. But I think we’ve all watched this team stagnate around .500 for four straight years, with no end in sight.
Maybe trade for Ja? And if it fails, tank. Maybe just tank, like they should have last year.
Either way, try and keep the fast pace offense up, to make the games more enjoyable than a Jimmy Butler regular season Heat game
I see it like you. This win a game, lose a game, occasionally beat a fairly good team, occasionally lose to a fairly bad team, roller coaster is, after three years, getting tedious and ponderous. I am bored with the status quo. I see teams making strides while we stagnate. Mediocrity after three years, is a tank, but one with false hopes for the future. I say do something, try something, don’t just sit there and watch us go to the play in again. Nobody is buying that we have any chance this time. If we brought in Morant and fail, it’s better than, to quote from, I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables, “My life would be so different from this hell I’m living.” Yes, I forced that line in and it’s way over dramatic here, but that was an awesome song.
I just got to say that you say things in this article I wish I could express as eloquently. And I agree with it all. Thanks Matt.
JA is not a star, it’s a Diva full of issues and ptoblems
Several folks around here only see his (former) up side. I have a problem with any player who shows his dissatisfaction with a team by “quiet quitting” / underperforming / sitting out games for various made up reasons / bitching to media. Heat fans should have had enough of that last season. How quickly they forget.
If Riley wanted Morant, the deal would have already been done. He doesn’t exactly fit the Heat culture player profile. He marches to the beat of a different drummer. Maybe a desperate team like Sacto will pick him up.
Couldn’t have been said any better Mr hanifan. The days of ss players hitting Fa are long gone, as you stated they re-up with current team or are traded nowadays. Most teams besides mia go out and get what they want instead of waiting to be left at the alter time and time again
I wrote what I did before I read your comments. And your comments go further than mine and are right on point also.