If the anti-climactic Trae Young trade was any indication, the market for undersized guards with undeniable offensive capabilities but glaring defensive deficiencies certainly doesn’t favour the seller.
It’s not enough to be a one-way player in the NBA anymore — coaching staffs are getting better at hunting mismatches as players are too strong or fast or skilled not to garner advantages in favourable matches — and guys like Young routinely find themselves on the wrong side of a one-on-one or switch.
So, with Ja Morant‘s name coming up in trade rumours, it’s worth wondering what the market for him even looks like, considering his similarly small stature, defensive ineptitude, and susceptibility to injury.
The fuss around the league with less than a month to go until the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline is that Morant will be the next all-star to get moved. On Friday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Memphis Grizzlies are entertaining offers for the high-flying point guard, and the noise has only grown in recent days.
Charania added that the Grizzlies would prioritize draft picks and young players in return, potentially positioning them for a rebuild as they approach the mid-season mark at 17-22 and 10th in the Western Conference, without a real path to contention in the near future.
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However, much like Young, the market may not be as impressive as one might have expected two or three years ago.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Grizzlies are hoping for at least one first-round pick for Morant, but it’s no sure thing after seeing Young go to Washington in a salary dump without any draft compensation involved.
“They got four firsts and a swap for Desmond Bane, and (the Grizzlies are) hoping for one first for Ja Morant,” Stein said on the All NBA Podcast. “It just tells you that small guards, no matter how electric, if they’re not known for playing defence, and if they’re not known for availability, the market’s gonna be limited.”
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the Grizzlies would also be willing to take on bad contracts if it means they get picks or young players in return, sweetening the pot for any team willing to take Morant.
With that low a price, the market should be flush with teams looking to acquire the 26-year-old, but with a $39-million price tag this season and two more years under contract above $40 million, plenty of teams may not want to cuff themselves to a player that hasn’t proven to be able to win, let alone stay healthy.
So, who are the teams to watch for Morant? Unlike the shock move for Young, where he’ll head up a rebuild in Washington, the suitors for Morant appear to be past that point. According to FS1’s Rachel Nichols, Morant’s preferred destination would be Miami, while NBA insider Jake Fischer and Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel both reported that the Milwaukee Bucks could be a team in the running as they look to salvage the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. Additionally, Charania mentioned on NBA Today on Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings may be interested.
Stein also indicated that the Raptors could be a team to make a play for Morant, as the belief among rival teams is that there’s win-now pressure surrounding the front office, but his statistical fall-off this season — averaging 19 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists while shooting 40.1 per cent from the field and 20.8 per cent from three — may not be appealing enough of an upgrade over current PG Immanuel Quickley.
Regardless, the sea change in the NBA’s trade market has been clear. Gone are the days of blockbuster packages for assumed superstars — players who can sell tickets but not necessarily win games. The idea of what a winning player is has changed, and the market has adjusted… drastically.
If Morant is gone, is Jaren Jackson Jr. the next domino?
While the Morant market might not net the Grizzlies an ideal return as they move into another possible rebuild, a potential Jaren Jackson Jr. trade would likely garner a much more appealing package.
The three-time all-defence forward signed a five-year, $240-million contract in the off-season, and though he’s averaging only 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks — a step down from his marks over the past three seasons — his ability as a stretch big with above-average rim-protection ability should be appealing to any contender.
Yahoo! Sports’ Kelly Iko reported Monday that, while the Grizzlies may still choose to move forward with Jackson Jr. as the team’s centrepiece, it’s also possible that he could be the next domino to fall with intriguing production from youngsters like Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.
According to Fischer, rival teams are monitoring his situation and hoping that he also asks out, with the Toronto and Atlanta testing “Memphis’ resolve for keeping Jackson,” with the market for high-level bigs getting murkier following Anthony Davis‘s hand injury.
Where do Raptors stand with Quickley?
With the Toronto Raptors firmly in a playoff spot at fourth in the Eastern Conference, and with some clear needs at the point guard and centre spots, it stands to reason that they’ll be buyers come the deadline.
However, their current contract situation, particularly as it concerns Quickley, could cut down on their options over the next month.
The 26-year-old guard is on the books for $32.5 million per year until the end of the 2028-29 season, and his production hasn’t exactly lived up to that number. He’s averaging 16.5 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 42.3 per cent from the field and a below-league average 34.7 per cent from three.
According to Fischer, the Raptors had checked in on Domantas Sabonis, but the Sacramento Kings had no interest in taking back the contracts of either Quickley or centre Jakob Poeltl, who’s on the books for three more years at an average of $28 million per year.
Additionally, the Raptors were a contender in the Young sweepstakes before his trade to Washington, with the team building a package around Quickley and draft capital, per Fischer. However, the Hawks also had no interest in taking back the Raptors guard because of the remaining salary.
So, while it seems the Raptors have gauged the market on the guard, the list of takers is small if not nonexistent, which limits their options to buy without parting with guys like RJ Barrett come the deadline.
Fastbreaks
• Lakers on the lookout: On the back of a 5-5 stretch, the Los Angeles Lakers once again look like a team ready to make a change to help them tip-toe the line between LeBron James’ twilight year(s) and Luka Doncic’s prime. According to Fischer, the Lakers have been monitoring the Jonathan Kuminga situation in Golden State as a 23-year-old wing who could make sense with Doncic in the long run. More drastically, perhaps, is a potential interest in Jackson Jr., with James’ agent Rich Paul suggesting on the Game Over Podcast that the Lakers should trade Austin Reaves for the Grizzlies forward.
• Davis still on the market: Davis’s market seemed to dry up after the oft-injured big man suffered a hand injury, even though it won’t need surgery, according to the team. And because of that shortened recovery time, Charania reported that the Mavericks have therefore continued to gauge the market on their big man, with “multiple interested teams.” He remains in line to return at some point this season and could possibly help a contender, though his continued struggles with injuries may lower his price tag for interested parties.
