Grizzlies 2026 as NBA trade deadline after 2 deals, keeping Ja Morant

In retrospect, 2023 was really the beginning of the end I Morant– led Memphis Grizzlies. Their first round exit by the Los Angeles Lakers and the eventual departure of Dillon Brooks in free agency he got the Grizzlies to where they are today: in the midst of a rebuild, with plenty of first-round picks available after the successful Desmond Bain trades (back in June) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (before the 2026 trade deadline).

Now, the Grizzlies trail only the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets for first-round picks in the next seven years, and they’re at least poised to start a rebuild around recent first-round picks Cedric Coward and Zach Eddy, both of whom showed great potential.

It’s a real shame that the Grizzlies didn’t reach their full potential with the Morant-Jackson duo firing on all cylinders, but at the very least, Memphis didn’t fall victim to denial and hit the reset button before the value of their players depreciated, leaving them with fewer future assets (I’m looking at you, Chicago Bulls).

On that note, here’s how the Grizzlies did before the trade deadline and the grade they deserve for maneuvering.

Ja Morant somehow outlasted Jaren Jackson Jr. on the Grizzlies

Until the trade deadline, the most likely Grizzlies star to get a deal was Morantas his relationship with the team clearly soured and his play on the field did nothing to help matters. His three-point shooting left him, his athleticism waned, and he didn’t look like a game-changer for most of the season, in which he played just 20 games.

This is complicated for the Grizzlies. Morant was the star they wanted to build around, but he was so unreliable for Memphis due to a combination of off-field issues and on-court decline that the Grizzlies surely had to listen to whatever offers were available for their point guard on the trade market.

But The Grizzlies saw those offers as grossly inadequateand Morant remains with the team as a result. He had two years left on his contract, and there weren’t many teams willing to take a chance on a high-flying point guard, and Memphis felt it best to simply keep their live point guard even though he had clearly been unhappy with the team all season, if not longer.

However, the Grizzlies, instead of trying to compete for a playing spot, simply decided to blow it after receiving a grandfather offer from the Utah Jazz for Jackson. They received the Minnesota Timberwolves/Cleveland Cavaliers/Utah Jazz 2027 top pick in the first round, as well as the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns unprotected 2027 and 2031 picks.

There is a chance that two of those choices become an incredible asset for the Grizzlies. That 2027 first-round pick might not amount to much, but given that the Jazz included their own in the trade, and that they’re not guaranteed to make the playoffs anyway because of how stacked the Western Conference is, Memphis could end up winning big.

The Lakers’ pick won’t be too valuable because Luka Doncic is on the roster, but there’s so much uncertainty until next year that it’s hard to say for sure. And then there’s the Suns’ unprotected 2031 pick; they may be a good team now, but Devin Booker will be 34 by the time the 2031 NBA draft rolls around, and Phoenix could be a bad team by then.

In addition to these picks, the Grizzlies also landed valuable young players such as Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks, adding even more to the team’s youth movement.

The Grizzlies have done well in deciding when to trade their stars. Bane got them four picks in the first round and a pick trade. Jackson brought them three first-rounders and two recent first-rounders. JJJ’s supermax contract extension is also set to kick in, so that’s no longer Memphis’ problem.

To that end, the Grizzlies have earned the benefit of the doubt on the Morant front. He has remaining two years on his contract after this season, so Memphis is in no rush to trade him. They may still be hoping he can revive his trade value on Beale Street, which could then bring them a more appropriate return than the offers available before the deadline.

(The The Grizzlies also acquired Eric Gordon and trading a 2032 second-round pick from the Philly 76ers to ease the salary cap and later giving it up — an inconsequential move.)

The tank is included in Memphis

As mentioned earlier, the Jackson trade at least indicates that the Grizzlies front office sensed the direction the team was headed and instead of waiting for the worst to happen, they got out ahead of it and got plenty of assets in return.

Now, Memphis has a lot of ground to make up in the tank wars. They may still have too good of a roster, especially with Ty Jerome playing out of sorts since returning from injury. Currently, Memphis has the eighth-worst record in the NBA, and with 20 wins, there’s a chance they won’t improve their lottery odds even more.

But if their performance Monday night against the Golden State Warriors was any indication, then The Grizzlies are about to pull off some awesome tanking maneuvers — because what else would explain Cam Spencer not even taking a shot at the basket after Tuomas Iisalo decided not to call a timeout to advance the ball to get a better shot?

The tank is includedand the Jackson trade proves they can compete without much guilt, unlike the Jazz and Washington Wizards, two teams that have been able to win but are clearly trying to lose a few games because they will walk away from their first-round picks if those selections fall outside the top eight.

The worst place in the NBA is the middle, and the Grizzlies have stayed out of that dreaded area.

Grizzlies trade deadline grade: A