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    Report: Grizzlies trade Ja Morant to Trail Blazers

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    ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Grizzlies have traded Ja Morant to the Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.

    The second overall pick in the 2019 draft, Morant’s time in Memphis has come to an end. While there were certainly high points, most notably his winning Rookie of the Year in 2020 and making two All-Star teams, the inability to stay healthy and off-court issues ultimately led the Grizzlies to seek a way to move on. Morant appeared in 20 games last season, averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 three-pointers. With the Trail Blazers having Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday on the roster, it’s fair to wonder if this will be Morant’s final destination. He’ll likely need a move to a third team to protect his fantasy ceiling in 2026-27.
Patrick doesn't understand Green's comparison
Dan Patrick explains why Draymond Green's comparison of Jalen Brunson taking less money on the Knicks to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson not taking a discount with the Warriors isn't the same thing.

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    The details from the reported six-team trade are still unfolding, but what’s already known is that Russell is heading to Memphis. The veteran guard had a tough 2025-26 season, playing just 26 total games with the Mavericks before being traded to the Wizards and never logging a minute for Washington. He’ll likely have a chance to play decent minutes for a Grizzlies team that recently traded away its superstar point guard, Ja Morant. If so, Russell could have some value in fantasy leagues this upcoming season.
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    Appearing on ESPN Radio, Windhorst described Morant as “flagrantly available” in trade talks. The Grizzlies are determined to move Morant, who Windhorst says he can’t see playing for the organization again. Memphis has had difficulty finding a trade partner at the moment due to the two seasons left on Morant’s contract, which is viewed as a negative. At this point, the Grizzlies will likely have to take on a bad contract to move Morant.
  • MEM Guard #12
    Morant received a PRP injection to help with his recovery and is expected to make a fill recovery ahead of next season. He hasn’t played since Jan. 21, so this update isn’t surprising. Ty Jerome, Cam Spencer, Walter Clayton Jr. and Javon Small will continue to fill out the point guard minutes for the rest of the year.
  • MEM Guard #12
    This has Morant being re-evaluated around March 19, which means he will miss at least two months with this injury. There is a chance he returns shortly after, but this could be nearing the end of the fantasy playoffs in many leagues. Memphis still has plenty of depth at point guard, with Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer and Walter Clayton Jr. also playing large roles with Morant out.
  • MEM Guard #12
    Morant last appeared in a game on January 21, and the Grizzlies announced on Wednesday that he will be out at least two more weeks before being re-evaluated. The point guard is still dealing with discomfort in his left elbow, which is why he needs more rehab time. With Morant down, the Grizzlies will continue to rely on Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cam Spencer to handle the playmaking responsibilities. Jerome offers the highest fantasy ceiling of the three.
  • MEM Guard #24
    Spencer didn’t bring much to the table as a scorer on Monday, but he had the most productive night of his NBA career in the assist category. The second-year guard’s 14 assists were a career-high, and he committed just three turnovers. Spencer isn’t going to offer the scoring that Ja Morant brings to the table, but he is worth rostering as long as the Grizzlies’ starting point guard is out. Rostered in 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Spencer has been a seventh-round player over the past two weeks.
  • MEM Guard #12
    Morant suffered a UCL sprain in his left (non-shooting) elbow during Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks. The injury is expected to sideline the 26-year-old point guard for at least the next three weeks, at which point he’ll be reevaluated. Cam Spencer started in Morant’s place Friday and had 21 points and 11 assists, making him a legitimate fantasy option while Morant is out.
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    Iisalo also said Jerome needs to “build up over the next week or two,” but he is “very close.” Jerome has yet to make his debut for Memphis after injuring his calf in the preseason finale. He still may not return until closer to the All-Star break, but he will eventually fill out some of the backcourt minutes for the Grizzlies. However, it seems likely that Ja Morant will remain with Memphis for the rest of the season, so there isn’t much upside for Jerome unless there is an injury in front of him.
  • MEM Guard #12
    Due to a sprained UCL in his left (non-shooting) elbow, Morant will not play on Friday. Cam Spencer is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, but there have been times when Vince Williams Jr. received the nod instead. Regardless of who head coach Tuomas Iisalo decides to go with, Spencer offers a considerably higher fantasy upside.
  • MEM Guard #12
    Playing stateside for the first time since January 2, Morant finished Wednesday’s defeat with his third double-double in as many appearances and eighth of the season. The Grizzlies’ point guard had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but his three-point attempt missed the mark. Morant did commit five turnovers, but that was the lone negative. Overall, he’s been very good in his first two games back from injury, a positive development for those who have Morant rostered.

Rotoworld

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    ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Jeremy Sochan has agreed to a one-year deal to sign with the Trail Blazers.

    Sochan’s deal with Portland will mark the forward’s third stop in his NBA career. He split last season between the Spurs and Knicks, ultimately finishing as an NBA champion in New York. Sochan saw career lows in playing time, points, rebounds, and assists in 2025-26, but a change of scenery could benefit him. Still, the Trail Blazers are loaded with talent, so there’s no guarantee Sochan will carve out a big enough role to make a fantasy impact.
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    ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Gary Payton II and the Warriors have agreed to a one-year deal.

    Payton II’s reported return to Golden State will mark his seventh season with the team. The veteran guard played a large role in the Warriors’ championship run during the 2021-22 season and remains a key contributor off the bench. He averaged a career-high 7.5 points last season across 73 regular-season games, but is not expected to have much fantasy impact in 2026-27.
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    HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports that the Timberwolves have expressed interest in free agent Jonathan Kuminga.

    Kuminga hit unrestricted free agency after the Hawks declined to pick up his $24.3 million option for the 2026-27 season. The former Warriors lottery pick remains without a team, but there has been interest. While a return to Atlanta is possible, the Lakers and Cavaliers also expressed interest in signing Kuminga, but both teams would likely require a sign-and-trade to get a deal done. Now, Minnesota has reportedly joined the mix after missing out on LeBron James, who chose to sign with the 76ers. With the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the Timberwolves can use another forward, even if Kuminga does not have the size of a traditional power forward. And going to Minnesota could give Kuminga a chance to start, which may not be the case with the other reported options.
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    HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports that the Nuggets are seeking a future first-round pick in any potential sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson.

    Watson remains a restricted free agent, and there has not been much movement between him and the Nuggets regarding a new deal. While Denver wants to hold onto him, the possibility of a sign-and-trade remains. According to Scotto, the Nuggets would want a future first-round pick in return if they were to move Watson. One of the teams reported to be interested, Milwaukee, is said to be willing to consider absorbing Zeke Nnaji’s contract, which the Nuggets have been looking to get off their books for quite some time. Watson also has the option of accepting his qualifying offer of $6.5 million, which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
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    Jamir Watkins underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee on Thursday.

    Watkins reportedly suffered the injury during the Wizards’ summer league opener against the Jazz, which explains why he didn’t appear again after playing 20 minutes as a starter in that game. Watkins was selected with the 43rd pick in 2025 and was solid as a rookie, especially down the stretch of the season. Now, there is a chance he misses the entirety of his sophomore campaign. It’s unclear if he would’ve had much of a role this upcoming season, but this solidifies that Bilal Coulibaly and Will Riley will see most of the wing minutes off the bench.
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    Hornets waived Mouhamadou Gueye.

    Acquired from the Bulls in a three-team deal that also involved Minnesota, Gueye was expected to be waived at some point. In fact, Thursday’s transaction comes after Valencia Basket in Spain announced that the 6-foot-10 forward will be on its roster for the 2026-27 season. Gueye’s departure does not affect fantasy basketball, as he was not going to be in the Hornets’ rotation had he not agreed to a deal with Valencia.
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    Josh Richardson announced his retirement from basketball.

    Following four seasons at Tennessee, Richardson spent a decade in the NBA, with most of that time being spent in Miami. He was drafted by the Heat with the 40th pick in 2015 and spent his first four seasons with them. He bounced around the league after that, spending time with the 76ers, Mavericks, Celtics, Spurs and Pelicans before returning to Miami for two more seasons. He spent last year in Spain before officially announcing his retirement on Instagram.
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    According to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard could go into 2027.

    The Clippers agreed with the Raptors on a trade that would send Leonard back to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft compensation. However, due to the investigation into the contract that the Clippers signed Leonard to, that transaction is on hold. And with Wednesday’s report, it’s fair to wonder if the trade will ever get done, as a potential penalty would be to void Leonard’s contract, making him a free agent. Also, Toronto would assume the penalties if they were to acquire Leonard before a ruling was made, hence the decision to delay the trade.
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    NBA insider Marc Stein reports that the Bulls are one of the teams interested in restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin.

    While Mathurin has yet to find a home after hitting restricted free agency, teams have expressed interest in the former lottery pick. In addition to the Pelicans, the Bulls have reportedly joined the pursuit. While Chicago added Norman Powell in free agency and selected Caleb Wilson in the draft, adding another wing scorer like Mathurin to the mix could give their offense a boost. However, the Bulls would likely need to free up cap space to make an offer that the Clippers would refuse to match to land Mathurin. For most of his NBA career, Mathurin has been a better option for points leagues than category leagues.
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    ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Wizards have been in contact with free agent DeMar DeRozan recently.

    In the aftermath of his exit from Sacramento, DeRozan was considered to be a player likely headed to a team with postseason ambitions. Miami, Cleveland and Denver have all expressed interest since the veteran wing hit free agency, and now Washington has reportedly worked its way into the mix. Given the number of young wings on the Wizards’ roster, adding DeRozan would create even more of a logjam, potentially limiting the short-term fantasy potential of a Kyshawn George or Will Riley.