Why the Memphis Grizzlies should actually keep Ja Morant and rebuild with him again

@BigMem12:
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies have not particularly looked eye to eye this season whether it was the new system, coaching change, or even overall play from Morant himself. So being all that tension Memphis Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman for the first time made Morant available for other teams to trade for him, even though a year prior he told the public that trading Ja was not going to happen and is only fantasy.

@BallersCulture:
And the stat breakdown explains why this tension feels louder than usual. Through 20 games, Morant is averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists, productive, but noticeably below his career 22.4 PPG scoring standard. His efficiency dip is sharper: 41.0% from the field and 23.5% from three, far below career norms (46.6% FG, 31.1% 3P). When a franchise cornerstone shows regression while adapting to a new system, speculation becomes inevitable, but small sample struggles should not outweigh half a decade of elite production.

What Can the Grizzlies Rebuild With?

@BigMem12:
But now after a rough start to the season for not only Ja Morant but also the entirety of the team only having a record of 20–30 through more than halfway through the season and multiple injuries once again hindering a possible great team from being a top seed Zach Kleiman finally thought it would be time to start the rebuild with young and inspiring players like Zach Edey, Cedric Coward and GG Jackson.

@BallersCulture:
The team context is critical here. Memphis sits 20–31, 11th in the West, with a –2.1 net rating and a bottom-tier 113.5 offensive rating (25th). Their shooting profile explains much of the slide: 45.7% FG (27th) and horrible three-point efficiency. Even Morant’s playmaking, still generating 8.1 assists per game, hasn’t translated into elite offense because the conversion ecosystem around him has been unstable.

Why Trading Jaren Jackson Jr. Was Strange

@BigMem12:
He first started with trading one of the best and most beloved Grizzlies Jaren Jackson Jr who has been with this team through everything since coming into the league in 2018 and became into a multi-time All-Star and DPOY.

@BallersCulture:
And analytically, moving Jaren reshaped Memphis’ structural identity. He was producing 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks, anchoring both rim protection and floor spacing. Without that defensive backbone, Memphis’ 115.6 defensive rating (17th) risks further slippage. Removing your defensive pillar while contemplating trading your offensive engine would leave the roster without a stabilizing axis on either end.

@BigMem12:
The trade consisted of Jaren, Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar and Jock Landale in return for Rookie Walter Clayton Jr, Taylor Hendricks, former Grizzly Kyle Anderson and Georges Niang (who they later waived). And got 3 first round picks as well in return.

@BallersCulture:
From an asset valuation standpoint, Memphis extracted flexibility, three firsts plus developmental talent. But flexibility requires a centrepiece to orbit. Morant’s 32.3% usage rate remains among high-volume creators, meaning the offense still fundamentally runs through him. Removing that gravitational hub would force Memphis into a full schematic reset rather than a retool.

@BigMem12:
A very good return for Jaren Jackson Jr with 3 first round picks being added as well as a very promising young rookie in Walter Clayton Jr.

@BallersCulture:
Yes, but picks and prospects carry developmental timelines. Morant, even in a “down” year, still posts a 52.1% true shooting and elite rim pressure metrics. His 16.7 PER and neutral impact metrics (0.1 VORP) reflect a dip, not a collapse. The gap between current Morant and peak Morant is far smaller than the gap between prospects and ever reaching Ja’s level.

The Grizzlies are STOCKPILING Picks

@BigMem12:
Now for the next 7 years the Memphis Grizzlies have accumulated 13 first round picks putting them with the same amount as the OKC Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets.

@BallersCulture:
That draft capital volume is transformative. But Oklahoma City’s model worked because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander eventually became the apex star after accumulation. Memphis already has that archetype. Pairing 13 firsts with an in-prime lead guard is a competitive advantage, not a conflict of timelines.

@BigMem12:
Now with that being said I think Ja Morant can still have a future in Memphis still being a star and the leader of this team going forward.

@BallersCulture:
Leadership is reinforced by workload sustainability, and Ja’s minutes (28.5 per game) are actually down from his 31.7 career average, partly injury management, partly roster instability. That reduced load suggests Memphis hasn’t even maximized his current impact this season. Evaluating his leadership during a physically interrupted year is inherently incomplete.

@BigMem12:
With a loaded 2025 Draft with players like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer you’re looking to tank and get a top pick and if the Memphis Grizzlies can land any of those 3 especially and adding them to the young players they already have they’re looking at a very promising future.

@BallersCulture:
And statistically, Memphis’ trajectory already places them in the lottery tier without deliberate tanking. Their –2.22 SRS and bottom-10 offensive metrics indicate organic positioning for a high pick. Keeping Ja while drafting elite talent mirrors accelerated rebuilds rather than prolonged ones.

Final Outlook On Ja Morant’s Season

@BigMem12:
Ja Morant is only 26 years old and still an amazing player and with a revamped roster with great talents and definitely some injury luck I think the Memphis Grizzlies can and should keep Ja and rebuild with him especially if he shows out for the rest of season. This is a collab with @BIGMEM12.

@BallersCulture:
And the career résumé closes the argument. Across 327 games, Ja has generated 7,331 points and 2,428 assists with a 20.0 PER, star-tier production sustained over multiple playoff pushes. You do not abandon that profile during a statistically anomalous season shaped by injuries, roster turnover, and systemic change. You recalibrate around it.

This is a collab with @BIGMEM12, go give him a follow and Watch Episode 1 of the Ballers Pod!