The Memphis Grizzlies are not throwing in the towel, not yet, anyway. Despite months of turbulence surrounding star guard Ja Morant, tension with new head coach Tuomas Iisalo, and an uninspiring 3-5 start to the season, the organization has made it clear that a full rebuild is not on the table.
According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the Grizzlies remain committed to building around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., believing that the duo still forms the foundation of a future contender.
“Going full rebuild may be out of the question. The Grizzlies don’t want to do that. They believe the Morant/Jaren Jackson Jr. tandem is the foundation of a contender. They believe a return to health, Memphis, already, has been decimated by injuries, will lead to wins. This isn’t a team looking to sell Morant. It’s one looking to use the assets it has, including the bag of first-round draft picks it acquired from Orlando in the Desmond Bane trade last summer, to add pieces around him.”
That statement signals that, despite growing frustration and external noise, the front office isn’t ready to abandon its core. The Grizzlies’ confidence is built on one premise: health. Over the past two years, no team has been hit harder by injuries. In 2023, they set a near-record for games lost to injury, and last season wasn’t much better, as Morant, Jackson, and Desmond Bane all missed significant time.
Now, even with Bane gone after being traded to Orlando, Memphis still believes in its system and stars. But staying patient might be their biggest challenge.
The Grizzlies’ current 3-5 record paints an unflattering picture. They rank near the bottom of the Western Conference and are struggling on both ends of the floor. Ja Morant’s on-court production has dipped, 20.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on 39.3% shooting, and the off-court drama continues to overshadow everything else. His one-game suspension for a locker room altercation with Iisalo only added fuel to the narrative that Memphis may be nearing a breaking point.
Yet, the front office appears steadfast. While several executives across the league believe Morant’s trade value has plummeted, with Marc Spears reporting that multiple GMs have ‘no interest’ in trading for him, Memphis isn’t shopping him. Their belief is that Morant, when focused and healthy, remains one of the league’s most dynamic players.
The internal optimism extends beyond Morant. Jaren Jackson Jr., the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, continues to evolve as a two-way force, averaging 18 points and anchoring a defense that still shows flashes of elite potential. Memphis believes that if both stars can stay on the floor, they can still compete with anyone.
Behind closed doors, the Grizzlies are aware of the risk. They’ve explored trade scenarios in the past, including conversations involving Morant and Jackson Jr., but have yet to pull the trigger. The organization knows that trading a superstar rarely brings back equal value. At the same time, they’re not blind to the tension brewing between their star and coaching staff.
As Tim MacMahon of ESPN recently noted, there isn’t a robust market for Morant right now. His off-court history, suspension record, and max contract (worth nearly $40 million annually) make him a difficult player to move. Even teams in need of a star guard, like the Sacramento Kings, have hesitated to engage beyond surface-level interest.
Despite all of this, Memphis is not waving the white flag. The team is banking on reinforcements and internal development. GG Jackson II has shown flashes, and the front office remains aggressive in the trade market, armed with multiple first-round picks from the Desmond Bane deal. Their plan isn’t to rebuild from scratch, but to retool around Morant and Jackson, much like the way teams such as Miami or Golden State have adapted their cores over time rather than blowing them up.
The organization’s patience, however, isn’t infinite. If the locker room fractures further or Morant’s off-court behavior resurfaces, the calculus could change. But for now, the message from Memphis is clear: they’re not done competing.
For all the chaos surrounding Ja Morant, the Grizzlies still see him as their best chance at redemption. They aren’t looking to sell, they’re looking to heal, reload, and climb back to the top of the Western Conference.
Whether that faith proves to be loyalty or stubbornness will define the next chapter of the Memphis Grizzlies.
