Ja Morant is one of the most athletic players in the history of the NBA. He is more than a leaper, though. Morant can give you a pile of buckets. He is also extremely clutch and can even lead short-handed squads to victories against tough teams.
During the 2024-25 season, Morant averaged 23.2 points per game on 45.4% FG. The high-flyer is also a stellar playmaker, dishing 7.3 assists per game. After trading their two-guard Desmond Bane, the Memphis Grizzlies have rung the alarm bells, trading for four first-round picks.
Thus, Morant may be on the trade block too. On that note, here is a look at the potential contenders for the Morant sweepstakes, as per the odds by Bovada.
Toronto Raptors: +400
As per Bovada, the Raptors are the favorite to land the athletic PG. They have strong draft capital in their arsenal, including the #9 pick in the 2025 draft. Apart from that, they have an array of impressive young players like RJ Barrett (21.1 PPG, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game), Immanuel Quickley(17.1 PPG, 5.8 APG), and Scottie Barnes (19.3 PPG,7.7 RPG, and 5.8 APG).
The Raptors also have young players like Gradey Dick (14.3 PPG) and much more. Thus, they have a strong chance of offering a likeable deal to Memphis.
The Grizzlies will surely want both established and upcoming high-level talent. The Raptors fit the bill. But they’ll probably be unwilling to part ways with Scottie Barnes.
Sacramento Kings: +500
The Kings were in disarray last season. They traded their franchise face, De’Aaron Fox, around the 2024-25 midseason, and their second core player, Domantas Sabonis, has shown some skepticism about his future there.
The team does have isolation specialists Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Adding Fox will give them a strong three-player isolation behemoth. But at the same time, all three players need the ball in their hands at a high clip.
So, probably the Kings will try to link either LaVine or DeRozan alongside Sabonis. To be honest, the trade would make little sense for all parties involved. Memphis is seemingly going to rebuild, while the Kings need an elite shooter.
Brooklyn Nets: +700
The Nets received a ton of draft picks in exchange for Mikal Bridges last offseason. But apart from that, do they have anything of value to offer? The Grizzlies may be reluctant to add Cam Thomas (24 PPG) unless he is attached with a ton of draft capital.
On that note, the Nets may be reluctant to trade for Morant at this point and are probably searching for a franchise face in the upcoming drafts. They have the 8th pick in the 2025 draft, so the Grizzlies may ask for it. But will they part ways with the pick? I have some doubts.
Miami Heat: +800
The Heat organization, led by Pat Riley, is reluctant to the rebuild approach. Perhaps, this is why they are reportedly willing to invest in Tyler Herro’s 3-year, $149 million extension. Morant is a much better playmaker and clutch player than Herro.
He fits in the Heat’s vision of building through established superstars rather than waiting for a franchise player to develop. This fit also makes sense for Morant, who will have Bam Adebayo as his help defender. But how can the Heat lure the Grizzlies? This is the area where a potential deal can be hampered.
Portland Trail Blazers: +900
The Trail Blazers have a lot ot offer. They have impressive young guards, Anfernee Simons (19.3 PPG), Sheadon Sharpe (18.6 PPG), and Scoot Henderson (12.7 PPG, 5.1 APG). Simons can draw the most interest because he is a terrific shooter and finisher, too.
Meanwhile, defensive stoppers like Toumani Camara can also be a terrific trade option. On the other hand, the Trail Blazers will get an established star who can lift a franchise that fought hard last season, and one major push could have resulted in a play-in berth.
At any rate, the fit makes sense from both sides.
These are the five major contenders to land the electric PG. Morant has been dealing with many injury issues during the last few years. Last season, he played just 50 games.
During the 2023-24 season, he participated in just 9 games. Overall, he is usually playing around 50-60 games per season, not a bad number, but there are more caveats. He is also under the radar of the league for “indiscipline”, an image built by his prior suspensions related to gun issues.
Thus, teams may think twice before giving away too much draft capital or young talent. At any rate, in my opinion, Morant can lift a franchise and is worth building on. His rare athleticism, combined with a high clutch quotient, is a lucrative prospect.
Contract-wise, he is a viable option too. The guard will enter the third year of his five-year, $197 million contract. The 2025-26 season payout will be worth $39 million. It is an economic deal by today’s standards.
His playmaking is brilliant, and he did make the Grizzlies look better than they were during the past three-four seasons. As of now, it’s unclear if Ja Morant is on the trading block.
As per Bleacher Report, the Grizzlies want him to continue as their franchise face, which is understandable since they have backed him during his toughest times. However, if he is up for grabs, there can be a lot of interest from both small and big markets.
Photo Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
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