The storylines surrounding this year's trade deadline might be best interpreted as the island of misfit toys, if you will.
We already saw one of those guys, Trae Young, go out to the Wizards, and there are a wealth of other players with a similar stock decline to "Ice Trae" still firmly attached to the rumor mill. By no means are they weak players — in fact, they're still pretty much stars in most respects — but perhaps more so in the sense of being undesirable and full of uncertainty.
Guys like Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Davis, and the subject of this piece, Ja Morant.
Rumors swirl around Raptors and Ja Morant as a possible trade fit
Teams looking to make upgrades for a big-time star, at least at the time of writing, aren't going to be in a bidding war for, say, a Giannis Antetokounmpo. But if you're aiming for a star upgrade, look no further than this realm of players. And the Raptors are just one of those teams that could be firmly in the mix of trying to make a push at one of these hot, or maybe not-so-hot, trade candidates. Ja Morant presents a ton of mystique as a star upgrade for Toronto's roster.
NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein (subscriptions required, respectively) have suggested that, after Shams Charania’s report on January 9 that the Grizzlies are open to trading the former two-time All-Star, Toronto has a decent shot at entering the Ja sweepstakes.
Speaking from my own perspective, if you had told me years ago that the Raptors could one day have a shot at adding Ja Morant, I probably would have said you’re out of your mind. I was quite the Ja Morant devotee in the pre-draft process and during his standout ROTY campaign — and continue to be a supporter even in the midst of all the drama.
I don't think I'm alone in thinking that Ja Morant was going to be the Grizzlies' franchise cornerstone for many years. Heck, just a couple of years ago, his name was thrown around in discussions about potential faces of the league or future American MVP talks, right there with Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham.
But now, given all the controversy Ja Morant has built for himself — with off-court issues, tensions with the Grizzlies coaching staff over the years, and questions about his ability to be a leader in a winning culture — it's largely soured many on the allure of Ja Morant. Honestly, the same could be said for his fellow 2019 classman, the highly touted Zion Williamson. Who would've envisioned that RJ Barrett would emerge from that trio as the most consistent and sustainable NBA talent?
Currently, Ja Morant's 2025-26 season averages do little to speak of his captivating appeal: 19.0 points on 40.1 percent shooting, 20.8 percent from three (never his strongest suit anyhow), along with 3.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and only 18 appearances so far.
He's currently dealing with a calf injury and fears that he could miss extended time, is definitely a concern for his potential future team. However, the possibility that Morant could also return to his peak form makes taking the chance on trading for him an intriguing option.
The question is: will the Toronto Raptors overlook all the red flags and become the premier suitor for Ja Morant? We'll find out soon enough.