No Dunks – "Ja Morant's Trade Market + NBA Weekend Winners & Losers"

iHeartPodcasts | January 12, 2026 Skeets, Tas Melis, Trey Kirby (T.K.), JD

Overview

In this episode, the No Dunks crew dives into the breaking news that the Memphis Grizzlies are open to trade offers for Ja Morant, exploring possible trade partners, player value, and what an actual deal might look like. The show also highlights NBA weekend winners and losers, discusses Anthony Davis’s injury status and impact on the trade market, and touches on several buzzy league storylines with their trademark blend of insight and humor.

Main Topics and Key Insights

1. Ja Morant Trade Market: Shifting Dynamics

Segment Start: [07:20]

• Grizzlies Now Accepting Bids: After months of speculation, Memphis is actively soliciting offers for Ja Morant—a significant change from their initial stance after rumors of a split surfaced in November.

  • T.K.: "He gone." [07:51]
  • Skeets: Both describe the move as likely preempting a deal already in place, with the team publicizing the open market to spark a bidding war.
  • Tas: Notes Morant’s recent injury issues and long-term contract as complicating factors for trade partners.

• Comparison to the Trae Young Situation:
  Ja Morant offers longer-term security (under contract) but more risk due to injury history. The Morant deal could net a higher return than the recent Trae Young trade to Washington—unless his value is deeply depressed due to recent performance/future injury fears.

• Potential Trade Destinations:

  • Heat: Most mentioned; they could offer Tyler Herro, Simone Fontecchio, and possibly Terry Rozier or Nikola Jovic plus a pick. Skeets questions if Miami is holding assets for a bigger fish (i.e., Giannis).
    • Skeets: "Are the Heat just, like, waiting and hoping for Giannis ... I have reservations about the Heat making a move for Ja." [11:12]
  • Kings: Tas’s favorite, though reporting says Kings want to rebuild patiently and aren’t currently interested; still, he remains convinced. [13:21]
  • Nets/Warriors (Three-Team Possibility):
    T.K. proposes a multiteam swap involving Michael Porter Jr., with Ja ending up in Brooklyn and the Warriors landing MPJ.
  • Raptors/Bucks:
    Discussed as possible, but both are viewed as highly unlikely or unwise fits.
  • Timberwolves: Only feasible with a many-player, multi-team trade—too complicated.

• Trade Value & Suitors' Reluctance:

  • T.K.: "It's about which team is willing to take a chance... there's not a lot coming back. That's the risky part here." [20:32]
  • Skeets, Tas, and T.K. all ultimately predict Ja is on a new team by the deadline.

Notable Quote:

• Tas: "It definitely feels like he's played his last game [for the Grizzlies]... that's the big difference between Trae Young and him. Trey was available; Ja has had a tough three years." [09:26]

Team-by-Team Predictions

• T.K.: Brooklyn via 3-team deal
• Tas: Sacramento Kings
• Skeets: Miami Heat

2. Evaluating Ja Morant's Decline and Trade Value

Segment Start: [17:53]

• On-Court Struggles:

  • Ja’s scoring is at a career low, efficiency particularly bad (21% from three, nearly worst among high-volume shooters), questions about athletic decline vs. effort level.
  • Skeets: "His efficiency at the rim is on a downward trajectory ... but the question is, is that all athleticism ... or is it that he just doesn’t give a fuck and he's mailing it in?" [19:12]
  • Tas counters that in his most recent games, Ja still flashed plenty of athleticism.

• Locker Room Rifts:

  • Per ESPN's Michael C. Wright, Ja still feels alienated from teammates after being isolated during his suspension.
  • Consensus among hosts: Both Ja and the team are ready to move on, and Memphis is just hoping a bidding war emerges.

3. Anthony Davis Hand Injury: Trade Market Impact

Segment Start: [26:12]

• Severity & Timeline:
  AD suffered ligament damage in his left hand, could miss weeks; Mavericks are seeking multiple opinions to determine if surgery is needed.

  • T.K.: "This is sort of the basketball gods telling the Mavericks, you got to tank. Just give it up this season." [28:00]

• Trade Implications:

  • Both Tas and T.K. think it may make AD more tradable (lower price, teams expect him to miss time anyway).
  • Skeets: "Some people think who's going to trade for him now?" (Trade possibilities debated.)

• Potential Suitors & Analysis:

  • T.K. floats Hawks interest at a discount, though still doesn’t like it.
  • With the Mavericks falling out of contention, other players like Klay Thompson and Daniel Gafford could become more available.

Notable Quote:

• Tas: "Every team that trades for him knows that he's going to be hurt at some point." [27:43]

4. NBA Weekend Winners and Losers

Segment Start: [34:37]

Winners

Anthony Edwards & Wolves:

• Ant hit a game-winning shot over Victor Wembanyama after confusion on the play, and the Wolves rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Spurs.
  • Edwards postgame: "Damn, do I got the shot, do I drive on him? I was confused and I ain't never been confused, I ain't gonna lie." [36:28]
• Tas credits Julius Randle’s defense on Wemby late, as well as the Wolves' fourth-quarter resilience.

LA Clippers:

• 4–2 in January, 9–2 in last 11; beat Nets and rallied past the undermanned Pistons.
• Kawhi Leonard is quietly building an All-Star case.
  • T.K.: "Kawhi Leonard’s going to be an All-Star." [40:17]
• Their strong offense, defense, and schedule give them a chance to move into the WC top 10.

Atlanta Hawks:

• Back within a game of .500 in the post-Trae Young era, thanks largely to Dyson Daniels’ triple-double and a resurgent Luke Kennard.
• CJ McCollum, now with Atlanta, is lauded for shot creation; Jalen Johnson called out as an All-Star-level contributor.

Mo Wagner Returns:

• Played for the Magic after a year out, to a big ovation ahead of the NBA’s European games.

Losers

Houston Rockets:

• Dropped three in a row, including a blown 13-point lead vs. Portland, and currently struggling with toughness and ball-handling (VanVleet out, Reed Sheppard limited minutes).
  • Tas: "They just seem to be lacking a little bit of tenacity. That’s what this team is." [51:45]
  • T.K.: "They have no easy buttons ... All their shots are tough." [55:46]

Dennis Schroeder:

• Suspended three games for a tunnel altercation with Luka Doncic weeks prior.
  • T.K.: "Guess it took a while to get the tapes from the bowels of the arena." [59:32]

NBA Ref Bill Kennedy:

• Sidelined indefinitely due to a hamstring injury suffered during game.

Jazz:

• Suffered worst home loss in team history (down 31 after one quarter, lost by 55 to the Hornets). Cody Williams logged a minus-60 plus-minus—the worst recorded since the stat was invented.

Jabari Smith Jr.:

• Struggling shooting, performance plateaued after getting a big contract.

Jalen Brown (Celtics):

• Fined for calling out refs by name after not shooting a single free throw vs. the Spurs—Boston only took 4 FTs to San Antonio’s 20.
  • Brown: "I'm irate at how they officiated the game today ... If we can't get to the free throw line and teams are allowed to be physical and bump us off our spots, it's hard to win games like that." [65:32]

Additional Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Wedgie Updates (inside joke):

  • [06:23] Skeets celebrates wedgie number 32 ("Vijay Wedgecomb") and 33—references their tally and grading system.

• Podcasting Nostalgia:

  • [04:21] Group reminisces, 20 years to the day since their first episode, and jokes about being snubbed by the Golden Globes for Best Podcast.

• Anthony Davis Injury Banter:

  • [26:58]
    • Tas: "He can only play with one hand. Jordan Poole can play with two."
    • T.K.: "This is like a Black Friday deal… you realize they jacked up the price yesterday."

• Ref Banter:

  • [78:23] Skeets/Tas joke about Bill Kennedy flying first-class and rib Curtis Blair as his “rookie.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [07:20] Ja Morant Trade Market Opens
• [17:53] Evaluating Morant’s Decline and Trade Value
• [26:12] Anthony Davis Injury and Trade Impact
• [34:37] NBA Weekend Winners & Losers: Anthony Edwards, Clippers, Hawks
• [51:45] Rockets’ Recent Struggles
• [59:32] Dennis Schroeder Suspension
• [64:35] Bill Kennedy Injury
• [65:32] Jalen Brown Calls Out Refs
• [68:00] Jazz Suffer Record Loss

Tone & Style

The No Dunks pod stays true to its roots—insightful, stat-driven, and speculative, infused with rapid-fire jokes, inside references, and an easy camaraderie. Hosts trade detailed analysis with spicy soundbites ("He gone" / "Delicious" / "Just one team out there, it just takes one"). Tangents on nostalgia, the reality of injury woes, and pop culture (Fast & Furious/Jurassic World crossover?) provide laughs and perspective.

Notable Quotes (by Timestamp)

• T.K., on Ja Morant: "He gone." [07:51]
• Tas, on Grizzlies' trade posture: "Right. It definitely feels like he's played his last game…" [09:26]
• Skeets, on Miami’s patience: "Are the Heat just like waiting, hoping, praying for Giannis?" [11:12]
• Tas, on Anthony Davis: "Every team that trades for him knows that he's going to be hurt at some point." [27:43]
• Ant Edwards, postgame: "Damn, do I got the shot, Do I drive on him? I was confused and I ain't never been confused, I ain't gonna lie." [36:28]
• T.K., on Kawhi: "Kawhi Leonard’s going to be an All-Star." [40:17]
• Skeets, on Bill Kennedy: "Hey Curtis. Blair, get your ass to the back of the plane!" [78:23]

Takeaway

The Ja Morant trade market is about to heat up, but the unique risk/reward calculus and limited destinations complicate the picture—crowding the prediction space with “ifs” and three-team formulas. Meanwhile, the NBA regular season grinds on, with teams like the Clippers and Hawks making moves, young stars coming through, and perennial drama (injuries, ref feuds, tunnel altercations) reminding fans why they tune in. As always, No Dunks brings the fire, the facts, and the fun.

Don't miss tomorrow: NBA insider Michael Scotto joins to update on Morant, the looming trade deadline, and so much more.