- A hypothetical trade swaps Ja Morant for Zion Williamson
- The trade will also help the Grizzlies get draft capital
- Williamson and Morant are two of the most talented young superstars in the NBA
Zion Williamson and Ja Morant were picked as the No. 1 and No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. They have the talent to become two of the best players in the NBA in the future.
However, both Zion and Ja have been surrounded by consistent controversies in their story careers. Keeping that in mind, a proposed blockbuster trade by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report essentially swaps them.
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Zion Williamson, 2026 First-Round Draft Pick, 2027 First-Round Draft Pick (Via MIL)
To be honest, there’s a slim hope that either the Memphis Grizzlies or the New Orleans Pelicans will pull the trigger on this trade. But here’s why Buckley thinks the trade could be possible.
“While Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane have authored their own ascensions, the 2019 No. 2 overall pick is the face of the franchise in Memphis,” he wrote. “Arguably, he has ascended to superstardom already. And if he can stay on the court, he could maintain his elite status for the better part of a decade.”
“But if a Morant mega-deal ever went down, this incoming package feels about right from a value perspective,” Buckley added.
“Williamson, 23, has even greater availability issues, but his ceiling might stretch even higher than the Grizzlies star’s. That potential, plus the two future firsts, might be too much for Memphis to pass up,” he concluded.
Ja Morant’s last season was ruined due to his gun-related controversies. He will be serving a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 NBA season. On the other hand, Zion Williamson played just 29 games due to a hamstring injury.
Both players will have to prove their worth to their respective franchises to earn their trust for the foreseeable future.
A Look At Ja Morant’s Stats In The 2022-23 NBA Season
Ja Morant featured in 61 games during the 2022-23 season. In those limited games, he averaged 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. He also shot 46.6% from the field and 30.7% from downtown.
It goes without saying that the 2x NBA All-Star is a sensational talent. Thanks to Morant’s numbers, the Grizzlies finished the season as the second seed in the Western Conference.
But the team was visibly overconfident in the playoffs. As a result, they were eliminated in the First Round of the postseason by the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
Can Morant average similar numbers after serving his 25-game suspension? That remains one of the biggest questions heading into the 2023-24 season.
Zion Williamson Is Working Hard To Be Back In Shape For The New Season
Zion Williamson has played just 114 games over the last four years. It’s truly underwhelming for a player who’ll be entering Year 1 of his five-year, $197 million supermax contract extension.
Williamson’s health has been the biggest flaw in his young career. Zion has even admitted that he struggles with his diet. But he is improving things slowly.
The 23-year-old even has a great plan to get back in shape for the 2023-24 season. Zion Williamson revealed he is following LeBron James’ blueprint to reach his peak shape.
“So the diet piece, I’m always able to come back each summer feeling good, looking good,” Zion Williamson said. “But I would say it’s more of locking in on flexibility, band work.”
He added: “Because I think it’s those things that will be able to keep me on the court longer versus just losing weight and then coming to play by being able to maintain that. I mean, Bron got the blueprint.”
Williamson played just 29 games last season, but he averaged 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. The Pelicans will hope to see Williamson put up similar numbers, just throughout the course of a season.
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