Celtics Should Pray Ja Morant Doesn’t Land With This Team
Rumors swirling around Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant point to potential trade destinations, and if Miami emerges as his landing spot, it could spell trouble for the Boston Celtics.
While the Celtics have no business pursuing Morant themselves, they’d be wise to monitor the situation closely. A Morant-Heat marriage would inject explosive talent into a gritty squad already showing signs of resurgence, a bad development for a Celtics team that could be competing with Miami for a playoff spot down the stretch.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus recently wrote about a potential Morant-to-Miami move.
“Miami has sought a star guard for several years,” Pincus wrote, suggesting that the Heat could send Tyler Herro to Memphis for Ja.
“Morant may not be an immediate fit based on the Heat’s current offensive system. But the franchise could take the risk on his elite talent on the hope that their famed work-ethic-above-all-else culture offsets any flaws.”
“Herro wouldn’t be available immediately for the Grizzlies, as he’s expected back later this month from an ankle injury,” Pincus added. “The 25-year-old guard made his first All-Star appearance last year for Miami, but questions persist about the franchise’s devotion to Herro. While he was extension-eligible before the start of the season (starting after his $33 million for 2026-267), he and the Heat didn’t reach a deal.”
“Perhaps he could return to the negotiating table with the Grizzlies in the offseason,” Pincus continued. “The Grizzlies clear the Morant issue and shed immediate salary; the Heat finish just below their first-apron hard cap.”
If there’s any coach in the NBA who could make Morant work in Miami, it’s Erik Spoelstra. Ja is still only 26 years old, and success with the Heat could get his career back on track in a huge way. He definitely has the athleticism and playing style to supercharge Miami’s pace-and-space attack. Spo, a master at maximizing guard talent, would deploy Morant in pick-and-rolls with Bam Adebayo, creating lanes for drives and lobs while curbing his turnover tendencies through structured sets.
The Heat’s culture of accountability might be just what Morant needs to take his game to a new level.
For the Celtics, Morant to the Heat would make their playoff outlook grimmer for 2025-26, and if the Ja experiment ended up working in Miami, the bad outcome for Boston could extend into the future.
Boston fans should cross their fingers that Morant sorts things out in Memphis—or heads anywhere but Miami.