Dec 5, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) passes the ball as Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Sacramento Kings
Excuse my french, but the Kings are down bad right now. Despite having four players with multiple All-Star selections, they have the worst record in the Western Conference (8-30). The worst part of it all is that just two years ago, people thought that the crestfallen franchise was finally turning it around. Ever since then, it’s been all downhill. There’s a strong chance that adding Morant would only make it worse.
In terms of intangibles, Morant’s seemingly incorrigible behavior not only doesn’t align with Kings general manager Scott Perry’s principles, it won’t help an organization that lacks accountability from top to bottom. When considering his skillset, Morant’s pace and playmaking are strengths that may even remind them of De’Aaron Fox. Unfortunately for them, his unreliable defense and 3-ball are weaknesses that exacerbate their current problems. With the way he’s playing right now, he’d only be a incremental upgrade to Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder.
Looking from the Grizzlies side though, a potential trade makes more sense. They should be able to acquire some combination of Schroder, Malik Monk and DeMar DeRozan in this deal. Schroder could play the part of the mature and experienced lead guard. Each of them could help Memphis’s offense, which has multiple players overextending themselves as scorers.
Verdict: Trade Legitimately Possible, Fit Questionably Feasible