Bam Adebayo has been at the center of all the plans at the Miami Heat. He is a household name, and many believe that his leadership would bring them a championship. But this season has felt different, and the 28-year-old has drawn criticism as the struggles continue. At the same time, former NBA guard Jeff Teague added an unexpected wrinkle by making a request involving Ja Morant.

On the Club 520 podcast, JT didn’t miss his chance to call out the 28-year-old Heat star.

“Bam, don’t really be killing. He’s just a good player, he’s not a star,” Teague said. “He’s a good complementary piece, he’s still a quality player, fringe All-Star.”

At present, Adebayo is averaging 16.9/9.7/2.6 per game, which doesn’t seem like the kind of numbers an explosive star like Bam can put up.

So, who will bring the missing fire to the Miami Heat? “I think if they get Ja Morant some new blood in there that can run P&Rs with him, I think he’ll step up. I just don’t think he’s playing with a pure PG right now,” Jeff Teague clarified.

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Once again, Ja Morant and the Heat are in the same conversation. At this point, it doesn’t even feel coincidental as the franchise has reportedly shown interest in the Memphis Grizzlies star. However, trading Adebayo for Morant wouldn’t be feasible. Instead, Terry Rozier (expiring $26.6 million), likely Norman Powell ($20.5 million), and Kel’el Ware (~$4 million) would be enough to bring the 26-year-old to Miami.

Most importantly, Morant is due a contract extension that the Grizzlies didn’t offer him last offseason. The front office prioritized patience and reassessment, moving into the 2025-2026 NBA season. So, maybe the Heat could offer Ja the extension and also play limited games focusing on injury recoveries. Something that the Washington Wizards have done with Trae Young.

The timing of Jeff Teague’s suggestion feels just right. Simply because Memphis has already clarified its demands to the rest of the league. Their desire becomes crucial for the future if the team truly moves Ja Morant mid-season.

Grizzlies make their trade demands known

Veteran NBA insider Marc Stein spoke on the All-Star Podcast. During the conversation, he mentioned, “The early word is that the Grizzlies are hoping for at least one first if they trade Ja Morant.” He also expressed his concern about this demand.

With the trade market for star guards tightening, it remains unclear whether any team will meet such demands. Consider Trae Young’s recent move from Atlanta to Washington. In that deal, the Hawks’ front office flipped their franchise guard for CJ McCollum’s expiring deal, along with a role player in Corey Kispert.

At the same time, Ja Morant remains under contract with the Memphis Grizzlies through the 2027-28 season, currently entering the third year of his five-year, $197 million agreement. As a result, the length and size of that deal complicate the trade landscape surrounding the All-Star guard.

As you can see, the East is heating up in this trade deadline. And the West? Well, for now it’s simmering, too. Now, only time will tell if the Memphis Grizzlies truly get to trade Ja Morant and also acquire their demand. Meanwhile, for the Miami Heat, another midseason trade window of future gambles awaits.