NBA Trade Idea Pairs Ja Morant With $197 Million West All-Star
The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant suffered a hip contusion in Game 3 and missed Game 4.
Memphis drafted Morant with the second overall pick in the 2019 draft. The franchise has won only one postseason series since then and Morant has gotten in trouble with the league office for showing a gun on IG live twice.
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Some believe the Grizzlies should trade Morant this summer and build the roster around Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. If that happens, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report thinks the New Orleans Pelicans should trade for Morant.
Buckley proposed that the Pelicans trade Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones and a 2026 first-round pick to the Grizzlies for Morant, who was AAU teammates with Zion Williamson.
"If they could just stay upright, they'd destroy defenses in transition and overpower them on pick-and-rolls," Buckley wrote. "There is legitimate three-headed-monster potential with those two and Trey Murphy III, plus New Orleans would still have a solid supporting cast around it."
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12).Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Williamson was the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. He signed a five-year, $197 million extension with the Pelicans in 2022. The two-time All-Star has played in just 45% of his possible games with New Orleans.
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Morant signed a five-year, $197 million extension with the Grizzlies in 2022 as well. The guard has never played in more than 67 games in a season.
Williamson appeared in 30 games for the Pelicans this season. He averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
Meanwhile, Morant appeared in 50 games for the Grizzlies. He averaged 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists.
If Memphis decides to trade Morant this summer, it will be intriguing to see which teams pursue a trade for the Murray State product.
Related: NBA Trade Idea Pairs Ja Morant With $165 Million East All-Star
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