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A new trade proposal has the Toronto Raptors acquiring Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Memphis Grizzlies continue to field offers for Ja Morant among the teams interested in acquiring a star point guard. Morant is an interesting name due to his value hitting rock bottom and giving opposing teams a chance to add him without giving up too much. A handful of teams have been interested from the start, but a new team has entered the discussion.
Mike Scotto of Hoops Hype reported that the New Orleans Pelicans have joined the other confirmed teams:
“Despite the production dip, several teams have registered interest in trading for Morant recently, including the Heat, Bucks, Kings, Raptors, and Pelicans, league sources told Hoops Hype. Within league circles, there have been rumblings that Morant’s desire for months has been to land with the Miami Heat.”
The other teams involved have shown interest in Morant through varying levels due to their desire for a new starting point guard. New Orleans is currently one of the worst teams in the entire league, but they don’t own this year’s draft pick and hope to improve for a run next season. Time will tell if they have an offer that could impress the Grizzlies front office.
Why New Orleans Wants Ja Morant
The Pelicans have rookie Jeremiah Fears at point guard and injured guard Dejounte Murray expected to return at some point during this season. Murray could be the main contract sent back to Memphis since his salary is large and expendable. Morant would give New Orleans another talented name capable of All-Star play.
Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy are expected to remain the top two forwards on the team unless the Grizzlies demanded one of them in a trade. Herbert Jones stands out as a name that could be sent to Memphis in the deal for his stellar defense and ability to contribute offensively as a role player.
Morant would have a lot of offensive weapons available, even if the Grizzlies acquired multiple talented players from the Pelicans. It does make sense for New Orleans to take a gamble on pairing Morant and Williamson before they give up on a generational talent like Zion for good.
Ja Morant’s Ceiling In New Orleans
Any team acquiring Morant would get a huge boost from someone badly needing a fresh start. The NBA has seen countless stories of an All-Star level player growing frustrated in a situation to hurt his value around the league and both sides needing a trade for new beginnings.
New Orleans is likely thinking about that when trying to get in the discussions for Morant. An interesting footnote would see the draft mates Williamson and Morant teaming up after both joined the league the same season to receive comparisons for years.
Morant has been the better player than Williamson due to the Grizzlies having better regular seasons and playoff appearances when he’s healthy. If New Orleans could pull off a move and keep their star players healthy, Morant would boost their ceiling for the next few years as a spoiler team in the loaded Western Conference.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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