It is time for some NBA offseason talk, and the Miami Heat are already in the thick of the trade rumors. Pat Riley and Co. are hungry for their next star. Luckily, there are several who can potentially come available in the near future.
Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo are already getting the most traction as potential targets to shake free. However, there is a wild card option that could also potentially come to the table in Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
Morant has dealt with some adversity on and off the court in recent years. But those troubles could only help in negotiations if Riley opts to take the risk— especially one that lands a player as talented as him.
Bleacher Report recently proposed a trade package idea that had Morant landing in South Beach. The mock trade additionally included the Heat sending all three of their tradeable first-round draft picks to Memphis as part of the deal.
At 25, Morant is still far from his prime and could develop into a centerpiece to build around during this new Heat era. Morant’s age and experience would align perfectly with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro’s timelines.
The Grizzlies star is coming off a 2024-25 season in which he only appeared in 50 games due to an assortment of injuries and brief suspensions. However, in those appearances, he still posted All-Star caliber numbers with 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 45.4% shooting.
His best campaign came in 2021-22, when Morant averaged a career-high 27.4 points per game.
Memphis may have reached a breaking point with Morant's ongoing availability issues, leading to a possible change of scenery for both the player and the team. The Heat have the resources to alleviate the Grizzlies of this drama and pull off a bold acquisition.
Miami Heat trade grade: C
Despite Miami getting their hands on a much needed All-Star boost, a Morant fit is iffy.
Ideally, he could come into coach Erik Spoelstra’s lineup and provide elite scoring and playmaking abilities to the team as a true point guard. It could especially help with the growth of Kel’el Ware and supplement Adebayo and Herro.
But such a move would be exactly who Morant is— a risk.
If the sixth-year guard has gotten sidetracked in Memphis, the city of Miami has its own distractions to consider. The Heat have taken the plunge on point guard signings in recent years— including the likes of Terry Rozier and Kyle Lowry— and have gotten burned both times.
Considering the off-court questions and Morant’s shaky availability, this move is a true gamble. Unfortunately, this Heat front office doesn’t have any room for more of those, especially if it requires mortgaging the future.
The Heat should pass on Morant. They will have better options out there.