Report: Rockets not likely to pursue Ja Morant trade with Grizzlies
Just prior to training camp, the Houston Rockets lost veteran point guard Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL repair) to a potentially season ending injury.
That development led many observers around the league to speculate that Houston might pursue an external upgrade at point guard.
Yet, six games into the 2025-26 season, the Rockets (4-2) own the NBA’s best offense. They also have the majority of their point-guard reps going to Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, two promising young talents who should only improve as the year progresses.
With that in mind, even as tensions seemingly rise in Memphis between the Grizzlies and two-time All-Star Ja Morant, it doesn’t seem as though Houston is interested in pursuing a trade (should the 26-year-old eventually hit the market).
The Athletic’s Sam Amick writes:
The Grizzlies’ next opponent, the Houston Rockets, need a point guard after losing Fred Van Vleet to a torn ACL in the preseason… but, per a team source, are unlikely to pursue him.
The are, of course, some extracurricular concerns involving Morant.
But from a Houston perspective, the logic appears to be basketball-related.
The Rockets have an elite offense, as is, so why would GM Rafael Stone bring in a high-usage player who would potentially take away touches and playmaking opportunities from the likes of Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Sengun?
The Rockets also expect VanVleet back at some point, and by the start of the 2026-27 season at the latest. Morant is under contract through the 2027-28 campaign, and historically, he’s a significantly higher-usage player than VanVleet.
Should the on-court results significantly change, it’s possible that Stone and the Rockets could revisit the Morant option by the in-season trade deadline of Feb. 5, 2026. But based on what we know now, it doesn’t appear likely that Houston will be involved in any bidding.
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