The Milwaukee Bucks were among the teams most frequently linked to Ja Morant ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, but a deal never came to fruition. Why? Well, it likely has to do with Ryan Rollins. Per Marc Stein (subscription required), the Memphis Grizzlies wanted Rollins "in any iteration" of a deal with Milwaukee. If the Bucks told them to kick rocks, it would have been justifiable.
Bucks were right to keep their rising guard
Rollins was one of the few bright spots for the Milwaukee Bucks in an ugly season. After showing he could contribute last year, Rollins went even further beyond in 2025-26, breaking through to a level many thought should have won him Most Improved Player honors. Averaging 17.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 40.6 percent from three is certainly notable.
While it didn't translate to much team success—how could it with all of the turbulence this team went through this season?—Rollins proved that he should be a mainstay for Milwaukee moving forward. On arguably the best bang-for-your-buck contract in the NBA, there would be little reason to trade away a budding 23-year-old rising star.
Trading him for Morant, in particular, would have been a head-scratcher. While a fine player with All-Star backing, Morant is far from a flawless pickup. Most notably, he's played just 79 games over the last three years. For a Milwaukee Bucks team that has battled injuries constantly over the last several years, the last thing they need is to trade for another oft-injured star with a sizeable contract.
Outside of showing Giannis Antetokounmpo that they can still acquire big names, there would have been little benefit to acquiring Morant on Milwaukee's end if Rollins were involved. On the flip side...
Morant could be interesting reclamation project next to Rollins
If the Bucks were to take a gamble on Morant, the idea would be to pair him with Rollins. Morant could be the primary floor general, while Rollins could play off the ball—a role he excels in—and leads the charge on defense to help shield Morant. In that regard, they could make for a nice one-two punch in the backcourt if Morant can regain his All-Star legs.
Yet, unless the Grizzlies suddenly soften their stance and would trade their star without Rollins being on the table, it's not happening. One has to wonder if the Milwaukee Bucks still even have an interest in Rollins after hiring Taylor Jenkins as their coach. There have been conflicting reports about tension between Jenkins and Morant from their time together in Memphis.
The Milwaukee Bucks will likely go star hunting this summer, but the odds of Morant ending up in the 414 have seemingly regressed.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google