Grizzlies Consider Blockbuster Trade: Ja Morant for $109 Million Star. Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey recently floated a bold trade proposal that would send franchise centerpiece Ja Morant to the Miami Heat in exchange for a $109 million-caliber player

Grizzlies Consider Blockbuster Trade: Ja Morant for $109 Million Star.

 

Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey recently floated a bold trade proposal that would send franchise centerpiece Ja Morant to the Miami Heat in exchange for a $109 million-caliber player—All‑Star wing Andrew Wiggins—alongside promising young assets and draft capital .

 

🔁 Trade Breakdown

 

To Miami Heat: Ja Morant (25), averaging 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game—albeit limited to 59 games over two seasons due to injuries .

 

To Memphis Grizzlies:

 

Andrew Wiggins – former All-Star, recently acquired by Miami; averaged 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists over 17 games .

 

Nikola Jović, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson – young role players with upside.

 

Future assets – a 2029 first-round pick and a 2031 first-round pick swap .

 

 

 

💰 Financial Implications

 

Wiggins is entering a contract that nets him roughly $109 million over his next four years. Morant, meanwhile, is on a deal paying $39.4 million next season, followed by $42.2 million in 2026–27 and $44.8 million in 2027–28 . Swapping Morant’s escalating salary for Wiggins’ more manageable pay structure could offer Memphis greater cap flexibility.

 

🏀 Strategic Rationale

 

For Memphis:

 

Mitigate risk tied to Morant’s recent injuries and off‑court issues.

 

Get an established two-way wing in Wiggins, plus young depth and future picks to diversify assets.

 

 

For Miami:

 

Add a premier playmaker to boost their playoff hopes, assuming Morant can stay healthy.

 

 

 

However, critics argue this proposal undervalues Morant: while Wiggins offers stability, he lacks Morant’s elite playmaking and upside .

 

 

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Summary: This hypothetical trade would drastically reshape both franchises. Memphis would gamble on returning to contention with Wiggins, youth, and draft assets, while Miami would be betting heavily on Morant’s star potential. Ultimately, whether Memphis should move their cornerstone depends on their appetite for ri

sk, asset balance, and long-term vision.