Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has emerged as the subject of growing trade speculation in Sacramento, where Kings general manager Scott Perry is working to fix a flawed and aging roster.
Morant’s future in Memphis is suddenly in question after he was suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team. Oddsmakers now believe Morant will be traded in the coming months and the Kings are most likely to be his next team.
According to a league source, the Kings have yet to engage the Grizzlies in trade talks in light of the latest developments in Memphis, but that could change. Perry, an experienced NBA executive who has been a part of roster transformations in Detroit, Orlando and New York, will most certainly monitor all situations involving high-end talent, including Morant’s future in Memphis.
Morant was suspended after telling reporters to “go ask the coaching staff” about his struggles in Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. When asked what could have been done differently, Morant said: “According to them, probably don’t play me. That’s basically what the message was after.”
Morant returned from his suspension to post 18 points and 10 assists in Monday’s 114-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Following the game, Morant was asked if he was playing with the same joy he once felt in Memphis.
“No,” he said.
BetOnline.ag released odds Monday indicating Morant has an 83% chance of being traded by the Feb. 5 trade deadline and the Kings are the most likely team to acquire him. Sacramento is listed as a 4-1 favorite followed by the Miami Heat (5-1), Houston Rockets (6-1), Atlanta Hawks (7-1), Toronto Raptors (8-1), New Orleans Pelicans (9-1) and Minnesota Timberwolves (10-1).
The Kings will have to ask themselves if Morant is a player they should pursue as Perry works toward his stated goal of sustainable success in Sacramento. Morant is in the third year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract. He will earn $39.5 million this season, $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million in 2027-28.
In 2021-22, Morant averaged a career-high 27.4 points, shooting 49.3% from the field and 34.4% from 3-point range while leading Memphis to the Western Conference semifinals, but his scoring and efficiency have dropped off considerably since then. This season, Morant is averaging 20.4 points on 39.3% shooting while hitting just 13.9% from beyond the arc.
In addition, Morant has had a number of off-court issues. In March 2023, he was suspended for eight games after brandishing a gun in an Instagram Live video at a Colorado nightclub. Two months later, Morant again flashed a gun in an Instagram Live video, resulting in a 25-game suspension at the start of the 2023-24 season.
The Kings went into the summer with a huge void at the point guard position after trading De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell over the last two years of former general manager Monte McNair’s tenure in Sacramento. The Kings acquired Dennis Schroder, 32, in a sign-and-trade deal with the Detroit Pistons and signed free agent Russell Westbrook, 36, but those were viewed as stopgap moves, not part of a long-term solution.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM.
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