The mid-season trade period this season has been action-packed, and the rumor mills are now working for the latest elite prospect, Ja Morant. However, the Trae Young trade seemed to have set a benchmark for the rest of the action, as analysts and fans have begun speculating on the trade package for the Memphis Grizzlies guard.
Noticeably, Morant has played just 77 games over the last three seasons, a period plagued by injuries and other off-court antiques. That unreliability has been associated with him ever since he was drafted in 2019. A senior writer for Sports Illustrated, Chris Mannix, in a recent conversation, highlighted that issue and gave a blunt assessment of the guard’s trade situation. He compared Morant’s situation to that of the Trae Young trade and said that the ceiling would be the same, “two useful players.”
Mannix said:
“Do I think the Grizzlies can move off Ja? Yes. Do I think they can get anything more than what the Hawks got for Trae Young? I do not. I think that is the ceiling. Two useful players like CJ McCollum & Corey Kispert. That’s what you’re going to get for Ja Morant.”
While the usefulness of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert for the Atlanta Hawks has yet to be seen, the team management at Memphis might be deciding on a good fix for a squad led by Jaren Jackson Jr. Moreover, Morant’s production this season has not helped his cause.
In the 18 games he played, Morant is averaging 19 points and 7.6 assists in 28.3 minutes with a career-low efficiency from the field (40.1%) and 3-point line (20.8%).
What teams may be interested in signing Ja Morant?
Multiple sources have speculated about Ja Morant’s next landing spot in the league, and teams like the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, and LA Clippers are making noise to bid for the guard. Some sources suggested that the Raptors were also in communication with the Atlanta Hawks about the Trae Young trade. However, that didn’t work out, and now, they might be eyeing Ja Morant for the same Immanuel Quickley package.
The Heat’s defense has been playing decently this season, but their offense is the area where they can use some help. Who better to do that than Ja Morant, an explosive point guard who has been effective in clutch situations and can facilitate the offense. Even though a package with Terry Rozier, who is on an indefinite leave, and Simone Fontecchio might take a hit on the Grizzlies’ cap space, it would not be an awful deal, given the negative atmosphere around Morant.
Although the Clippers seem to be a complete side, James Harden’s future in the NBA is uncertain. The team management might look to add another ball-handling guard. Moreover, the team only has Ivica Zubac’s $21 million contract due this summer, which provides them enough space to accumulate Morant’s deal.
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