So this is just going to be how it is with Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies, huh?
An easy thing to do as a sports fan is to try and compare players to past versions. Mercurial, enigmatic wide receivers. Zany, borderline lunatic hockey goalies. Fun-loving home run hitters.
And problematic point guards in the NBA.
Ja Morant essentially pouted his way through a game against the Lakers last Friday (in the Cup group stage, no less) after the coaching staff issued him criticism in front of the team. After the game, he directed all media questions regarding his performance to the coaching staff. As a result, the team suspended him for Sunday’s game (a loss) against the Toronto Raptors.
After Monday’s game (a loss) against the Detroit Pistons, Morant told reporters he does not have his “usual joy” right now and snarkily said he has a good relationship with the organization.
The dispute with Morant stems from coach Tuomas Iisalo challenging Morant in front of the team and wanting to change his rotations to shorter, more intense spurts.
All these things paint the picture of a superstar not wanting to do what the team needs. In reality, this is a lot more about a first-time NBA head coach wanting to implement things from outside the NBA that go against the realities of NBA power structures, all while the results have been middling.
So it’s reasonable now to wonder if Morant’s time in Memphis could be headed to an end. Teams are more sensitive than ever about tying up the super-max money to players who are not absolutely, 100 percent worth it or come with any baggage.
Every indication is that the Grizzlies front office wants to keep Morant. But if Ja pulls the trigger (so to speak) on a trade request, who could viably make an offer? Here are some ideas.
Let's make two bad situations worse!
Idea No. 1: The Grizzlies trade Ja Morant and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the New Orleans Pelicans for Trey Murphy III, Jordan Poole and 2027 swap rights with Milwaukee.
Ja and Zion Williamson make the same amount, but swapping doesn’t really do anything for either team. Zion doesn’t fit with the front office’s love of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey, and Ja, without Zion, leaves him without a big man to work with.
But Trey Murphy III basically replaces Desmond Bane as an on-ball scoring wing. With more opportunities on a functional franchise, Murphy could become a great running mate with JJJ and the Grizzlies can start Cedric Coward and build around him.
Meanwhile, Ja stays within a short flight of Memphis and his people there, and pairs with Zion for No.1 and No. 2 from a draft class. The Pelicans swing to try and get two stars who struggle to stay on the floor together to stay on the floor together, and move off Jordan Poole’s salary without giving up any of their own draft compensation.
Memphis gets the Milwaukee 2027 draft rights … which could be valuable if things go south for the Bucks with Giannis.
A different culture
Idea No. 2: The Grizzlies trade Ja Morant and Vince Williams to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro and Davion Mitchell.
The Heat punt on the decision of whether or not to extend Tyler Herro. Memphis extends him for less than they would have to pay Ja long-term. Herro showed he can be the best player on a playoff team last year, and fits nicely with Jackson and Edey. Davion Mitchell competes with Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward for three young players with terrific potential.
Miami takes the gamble that the same approach that worked with brusque Jimmy Butler works with Ja. Say what you want, but Ja has won games in the NBA, even if he hasn’t made a deep playoff run. If Morant buys in, out of spite if no other reason, then he’s going to look phenomenal with Bam Adebayo, Jaime Jaquez, and playing in the Eastern Conference.
Let's swap problems!
Idea No. 3: The Grizzlies trade Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, John Konchar, and the swap rights to Washington or Phoenix in 2030 to the Kings for Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan.
It is sad that the Grizzlies have to throw in draft compensation here, but the Kings aren’t saving money and are sending a more reliable All-Star level player in Sabonis. DeRozan would be beloved in Memphis and while I think he puts ceilings on your team, he’s easy to sell as a face on the billboards.
I really love the idea of Jackson, who defends and can score but can’t rebound and fouls, alongside Sabonis, who scores and rebounds but can’t defend. I think that combo is terrific. It compromises the front office’s vision with Zach Edey, but considering I don’t think a plodding post-up center who doesn’t have elite passing skills is something to build around, I can live with it.
The Kings are left with Morant, LaVine, and presumably Keegan Murray. They’ll have to try to offload KCP, whose contract looks more and more like deadweight.
The pick swap might be the most valuable asset here for the Kings, and at least
If you want to switch this and trade out LaVine and DeRozan, you can, but as a Memphis partisan, the idea of combining LaVine and DeRozan on a third team when it doesn’t work makes me die inside.
A (not so) simple swap
Idea No. 4: The Grizzlies trade Ja Morant to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland.
Garland is a small guard who has trouble staying on the floor and is a defensive liability. Morant is a larger guard who is an underrated defender and a better playmaker, but has trouble staying on the floor. Cleveland gets more athletic and a little bigger at guard, Memphis gets an All-Star level guard in replacement.
If Memphis had an expiring contract, I’d throw it in for Cleveland, but Memphis doesn’t have any. A fun game to play is “which team has to include pick compensation?”
The Cavaliers may not want to mess with Morant’s nonsense, but when healthy, he’s a better player than Garland. That’s the kind of tough decision teams who want to compete for a title have to make.
Chicago goes all-in
Idea No. 5: The Grizzlies trade Ja Morant to the Chicago Bulls for Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.
If you are an Ayo truther, throw in a pick swap as compensation to Chicago, not an outright first-round pick. He’s not that good. The Bulls did not extend Coby White so they have to deal with whether to extend him when Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis may be better.
This moves Vucevic’s expiring salary for an All-Star caliber player. Yes, White has been awesome. But Morant is better. With Morant, Giddey, and Buzelis, you have athleticism, playmaking, and shooting. That’s the Bulls’ new core.
Memphis shifts to building around Jaren Jackson Jr. with White as his running mate, Ayo becomes a fan favorite in Memphis, and the Grizzlies clear Vucevic’s cap space, re-signing him as a veteran bench center if he wants to stick around.
Clearing cap space for a team like Memphis honestly isn’t the best thing most times. But it’s worth considering.
Toronto upgrades again
Idea No. 6: The Grizzlies trade Ja Morant and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Toronto Raptors for Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett.
Quickley has been awful to start the season and has issues staying on the floor (like Ja). Morant makes sense in the Raptor’s fast-pace attack. Adding Morant to Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes makes a weird amount of sense in terms of size, athleticism, and shooting. Morant’s been a part of great defensive teams, he’s an upgrade there over Quickley.
The Grizzlies get two demonstrably worse players, so the Raptors have to take the KCP money for two years, giving them a large expiring next season.
Memphis gets a replacement-level starting point guard and Barrett, who I think is sneaky great and could really help them as a Bane replacement next to the frontcourt. Think Quickely-Barrett-Cedric Coward-JJJ-Zach Edey. That team’s ceiling might be lower, but it’s more solid.