The Miami Heat let another deadline pass without any major activity, but it’s not for a lack of trying that they haven’t made any progress. In fact, they were in talks to acquire Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies this week before negotiations ultimately fell apart.
According to insider Greg Sylvander, the Grizzlies were keeping the price high for Ja, with an asking price of Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Kel’el Ware, Terry Rozier, and a 1st-round pick. Asking for either Jaquez Jr. or Ware was bad enough, but to then want a first-round pick on top of that was just entirely too ambitious. The talks ended right then and there, as the Heat had no interest in giving up so much for such a controversial young athlete.
On paper, Morant is the type of player you’d give up almost anything for. The two-time All-Star turned 26 in August and has shown flashes of his potential as one of the best guards in the NBA. In 327 games in his career, Morant is averaging 22.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 41.0% shooting and 23.5% shooting from three.
The 6’2″ point guard is famous for his fierce athleticism and relentless competitive spirit, which led the Grizzlies during one of their best modern-day stretches. Sadly, a series of scandals derailed Morant’s career and destroyed his reputation, leaving his value at an all-time low. This season, amid an incident with his own head coach, Morant fell on bad terms with the organization, leading to his availability at the deadline.
For Ja, the Heat are arguably the only team with the support and infrastructure to restore his good standing and reputation. Between a championship culture and the influence of legends like Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, Ja could have thrived in Miami as he rebuilt his image one game at a time.
The Heat could have benefited greatly from this scenario, assuming Morant’s good health. Even if he’s not what he used to be, he fills a need in the backcourt they’ve had for years now. More importantly, it gives Bam Adebayo a reliable co-star to help ease the pressure and maximize his own career.
At his best, Morant could have been a dream addition for the Miami Heat. But with his baggage, the Heat were only willing to give up so much. It just goes to show how far Morant’s value has dropped, and what kind of standards the Heat are looking for in their next big star. They clearly want a guy who is scandal-free and dependable, and that’s just not Ja right now with everything he’s been involved in recently.
