Reporter Marc J. Spears stated on ESPN that he spoke with four team executives about Morant, all of whom expressed no interest in acquiring the Grizzlies star.

Marc J. Spears said: "I spoke with several GMs who mentioned that the Grizzlies indicated during the offseason that all players were available, including Morant and Jaren Jackson. I was particularly curious about the Magic's decision. They made a trade with the Grizzlies to acquire Desmond Bane, which suggests they had the opportunity to get Morant but ultimately chose not to pursue him."

"Today I spoke with four team executives again, and they all said they have no interest in acquiring Morant. One cited his contract and off-court issues as reasons, while another noted that if Morant were traded, the acquiring team would only be getting a problem star. More than one mentioned that coaching such a talented yet unpredictable star would require the right coaching staff. I asked an active NBA head coach if he'd be willing to coach Morant, and his response was that he wasn't sure he really would."