Once viewed as the future of the franchise, Ja Morant now faces an uncertain future with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies are widely expected to trade the once-promising guard over the offseason, or at least try to after the relationship between the two sides has gone south in recent years.
Assuming that they’re ultimately able to find a taker for Morant, the Grizzlies will need to go about replacing his production out on the court. They could look to do that in the highly-hyped 2026 NBA Draft.
Grizzlies Select Houston Guard Kingston Flemings in First Round of 2026 NBA Mock Draft
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 19: Kingston Flemings #4 of the Houston Cougars dribbles the ball against the Idaho Vandals during the first half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
In a recent 2026 NBA mock draft, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports has the Grizzlies selecting Houston freshman guard Kingston Flemings in the first round.
Flemings was named a Consensus second-team All-American and First-team All-Big 12 after averaging 16.1 points, 5.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a freshman.
“This difference better positions the Grizzlies to find their replacement for Ja Morant. And the answer could be Flemings, who entered the season as the least-heralded of Houston’s stacked freshman class, but played his way into the top-10 conversation while his higher-ranked teammates played their way out of it,” O’Connor wrote.
“He’s a 6-4 ball-handler who can get to his spots, make advanced passes, and limit turnovers in a way that resembles a veteran guard. If he lands with Memphis, he could grow alongside a center like Zach Edey, a wing like Cedric Coward and a long list of young talents still under 25 years old.”
If Morant is moved, the Grizzlies would be very thin at the guard position, so the addition of Fleming would make sense from a roster-building respective. Plus his potential is undeniable.
Grizzlies Trading Ja Morant Over the Offseason Feels Like an Inevitability
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 11: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts in the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
When it comes to a potential Morant trade, it just feels like a matter of when, not if. The Grizzlies are clearly moving in a different direction and moving on from the era that Morant headlined. All of the other key contributors from that era have already been traded.
Desmond Bane is in Orlando, Dillon Brooks is in Phoenix (after being in Houston) and Jaren Jackson Jr. is in Utah. Moving Morant is the last domino to fall for Memphis in order for the organization to completely turn the page, which Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman acknowledged the team is trying to do.
“This is about organizational direction now,” Kleiman said. “This is not about Ja in particular.”
Morant is still just 26 years old, so he could still have a whole lot of productive play ahead of him. But it seems pretty clear that he would probably benefit from a fresh start, and the Grizzlies appear ready to move on. Adding a young, intriguing player like Flemings could help them do so.
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