If things go according to plan for the Memphis Grizzlies, former star point guard Ja Morant will be playing elsewhere to close out the year. The former two-time All-Star has apparently worn out his welcome with the club that drafted him, and now there’s scuttlebutt that he could be on his way out.
Morant can still hoop with the best of them when he wants to, but is he the guy he used to be several seasons ago? The eye test says no, but a change of scenery could change that perception.
Still, a player who was once seen as the future face of the league is now about to be traded for pennies on the dollar. If the trade of Trae Young, a player whose career mirrors Morant’s, is any indication of what the market looks like for a point guard who has had better days, Morant isn’t going to go for much.
Young was essentially traded in a salary dump, getting expiring contracts. Will Morant?
By the sounds of it, no, but the Grizzlies aren’t looking for much more than what Young went for. A new rumor has the Grizzlies looking for one young-ish player and a first-round pick, plus matching salary.
According to Michael Scotto, the Grizzlies would be open to trading Morant to the Milwaukee Bucks for Rollins and a first-round pick. If that’s the case, the market for Morant isn’t that expensive, making it far more likely teams go out and try to land him. So what would a trade for him realistically look like?
Let’s find out.
Trade proposal No. 1
Milwaukee Bucks Get: Ja Morant and Jock Landale
Memphis Grizzlies Get: Ryan Rollins, Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, 2031 first-round pick
This is realistically what the Grizzlies and Bucks trade would have to look like. For the Bucks, it makes total sense to make the move, as Morant instantly becomes their second-best player behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. While Rollins will be a loss for them, Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma have not had much of an impact other than eating up minutes.
Still, they’re two of the better bigs for the Bucks, so they’ll need another body to replace them, and Jock Landale is that man. He’s affordable and not so talented that you couldn’t convince the Grizz to add him to the trade. For the Grizzlies, they get the young player and the first-round pick they covet, plus the contracts for Kuzma and Portis to do with as they will.
Trade proposal No. 2
Minnesota Timberwolves Get: Ja Morant and Jock Landale
Memphis Grizzlies Get: Naz Reid, Mike Conley, Rob Dillingham, Bone Hyland, 2027 first-round pick
Same situation for the Timberwolves here, who are also in need of a point guard. Morant would pair nicely with star Anthony Edwards (in theory), but they’ll have to part ways with Naz Reid. Reid’s one of their better players, but Morant is better at his position than Reid is at his. Mike Conley and Bones Hyland make up the salary, while Rob Dillingham is the young guard that the Grizzlies seem to want.
Trade proposal No. 3
Phoenix Suns Get: Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies Get: Jalen Green, 2027 first-round pick
This is the most straight-up swap possible, because despite not being a one-for-one salary-wise, the money works, according to Fanspro. Jalen Green has a high upside, but hasn’t done much to help the Suns this season. As the Suns are a team hunting for the playoffs, they’d essentially be swapping a player who’s barely played for them this season with a guy who has MVP potential if he can get right. Morant’s play style is also radically different than franchise star Devin Booker, making it a situation that may be dynamic on the court. Having to give up a first-round pick will hurt, but if Morant pans out well, the Suns will be contenders for years to come.
