The NBA landscape shifted dramatically when the Dallas Mavericks shocked everyone by trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The move, involving a 25-year-old superstar with no prior warning, sent ripples through the league.

Now, every franchise player might be wondering about their own security – including Ja Morant, who’s been the cornerstone of the Memphis Grizzlies since they selected him second overall in 2019.

But the Grizzlies aren’t having any of that speculation. General Manager Zach Kleiman quickly addressed these swirling rumors in a conversation with Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian.

His stance? They’re not even entertaining the idea of trading their star point guard.

“I can’t blame other ‘executives’ for fantasizing about us trading Ja. But it’s just that – fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I’m not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball,” Kleiman told Hill, who shared the quote on X.

Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman addresses report that Grizzlies could look to trade Ja this summer

(via @DrewHill_DM) pic.twitter.com/GS3VEa9Fdd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 19, 2025

I reached out to Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman to see if he would comment about the recent speculation around Ja. Here’s what he had to say:

“I can’t blame other “executives” for fantasizing about us trading Ja. But it’s just that – fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to…

— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) February 19, 2025

The numbers back up Kleiman’s confidence. Morant continues to drive the Grizzlies’ success, marking his fourth consecutive season averaging at least 20 points and seven assists per game.

Moreover, the financial picture in Memphis looks stable – the team has plenty of salary cap space and is well below the luxury tax.

This includes their core players: Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane.

Speaking of Jackson, while he’s eligible for an extension this summer, the Grizzlies might benefit from waiting until 2026.

The Grizzlies have built something special, with their top eight scorers this season all being 26 or younger.

Trading Morant would mean dismantling years of careful team construction – a move that makes little sense given their current trajectory and financial flexibility.

The post Grizzlies GM Speaks Out About Ja Morant Trade Rumors appeared first on The Cold Wire.