With the free agency window just around the corner, several players find themselves being mentioned in trade rumors more frequently. While a majority of the latest chatter has focused on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant has also been generating some buzz.
Despite Ja Morant’s status as the Grizzlies’ franchise player, there has been a growing suspicion that his time in Memphis may be coming to an end, albeit against his wishes. While rumors have linked the two-time All-Star with a few teams, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the New Orleans Pelicans and the Sacramento Kings are the only ones with a genuine interest in acquiring him.
Given that both franchises are effectively in rebuild mode, it seems evident that the pursuit of Morant is motivated by the need for a new franchise player. In that regard, the Pelicans’ interest in the Grizzlies’ guard has also been previously noted. Thus, to help New Orleans acquire the superstar, NBA insider Jake Weinbach presented an intriguing trade framework. Here is Weinbach’s trade proposal:
Proposed Trade Details
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, Yves Missi
On paper, the trade seems relatively straightforward. However, with pros and cons being part and parcel of every trade, we will delve deeper into the finer details of this deal.
Financial Outlook
From a financial point of view, Ja Morant’s $42.1 million contract, Jordan Poole‘s $34.0 million, and Dejounte Murray‘s $32.7 million are the foundation of this trade. Although the Pelicans’ outgoing assets combine for a total of $70.2 million when factoring in Yves Missi‘s $3.5 million cap hit, the Grizzlies’ outgoing assets don’t necessarily fall alarmingly short.
Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reportedly exercised his $21.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season, ensuring that he is on the Grizzlies’ books. Thus, by packaging Caldwell-Pope’s contract with Morant’s, the Grizzlies’ outgoing assets amount to $65.7 million.
Although this is still marginally short of the Pelicans’ total outgoing salaries, the $4.5 million difference helps New Orleans shed some salary off its current $196.2 million payroll, giving the team more flexibility to bring in reinforcements.
How Does This Trade Impact The Grizzlies?
After embracing a large-scale rebuild last season, the Grizzlies’ performance was underwhelming, as they notched a 25-27 record (13th in the NBA). Given that Ja Morant missed most of the season (62 games missed), there wasn’t much potential for the team to succeed either.
With this trade, the circumstances don’t necessarily improve, but by adding Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole, the Grizzlies certainly bolster their backcourt.
When healthy, Murray has proven himself to be an elite two-way threat. In 14 appearances last season, he averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field.
Murray may not be an electric offensive threat like Morant, but he is far more reliable on defense and is an effective playmaker, too. Like Morant, Murray’s three-point shooting doesn’t inspire much confidence. In this regard, however, the Grizzlies could benefit from the acquisition of Jordan Poole, who has routinely shown his ability to get going from beyond the arc.
Last year wasn’t as promising for Poole, as the former champion averaged 13.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 37.2% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. But given what he is capable of contributing when embracing a larger offensive role, the Grizzlies may see value in giving him more leeway.
Aside from Murray and Poole, the Grizzlies would also acquire Yves Missi from the Pelicans. For all intents and purposes, this may be the real steal.
Missi has positioned himself as a promising young big man with tremendous upside. As an athletic big man with solid shot-blocking instincts, Missi has value on a rebuilding team as a rotation piece.
Although he averaged only 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, it is worth noting that Missi only played 19.7 minutes per game. Hence, if given more opportunities to thrive, there is every reason to believe he could be a solid second option behind Zach Edey.
How Do The Pelicans Benefit From This Trade?
For the Pelicans, the benefits from this trade are also quite straightforward. With the Poole acquisition emerging as a failure, the Pelicans face the need for an upgrade in the point guard position. Thus, with a player like Ja Morant available on the market, New Orleans could make the most of such an opportunity.
Considering that the team ended the regular season with a 26-56 record, the front office faces a dire need to rejuvenate the fan base. In this regard, Ja Morant’s exciting brand of basketball could inject new life into the Pelicans.
Last season wasn’t a noteworthy one for the two-time All-Star, primarily because he spent most of it sidelined due to injury. However, in the 20 appearances he made, Morant’s averages of 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game on 41.0% shooting from the field were fairly impressive.
Ja Morant’s playmaking ability could prove quite effective in New Orleans’ current lineup. With a lob threat like Zion Williamson in the paint and a reliable shooter in Trey Murphy III on the wings, the Pelicans would have a solid combination going.
On top of this, New Orleans would also acquire Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as part of this deal. The veteran guard has already proven himself as a reliable two-way wing. His averages of 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 41.0% from the field and 31.6% from three-point range last season do not inspire, but his championship experience could prove quite valuable.
The Pelicans Don’t Need Ja Morant
While there is certainly merit in pairing a player like Ja Morant with Zion Williamson, forming a unique star duo, it can be argued that this would be largely counterintuitive for the Pelicans.
New Orleans, like Memphis, appears to be a franchise on the verge of a rebuild. Although players like Williamson have been viewed as franchise cornerstones, it is clear that New Orleans is heading in a new direction.
Currently, it seems like Derik Queen is closer to becoming the face of the Pelicans’ franchise. With his unique playmaking skills, he could also emerge as the focal point of the team’s offense. In this regard, acquiring a player like Ja Morant would not only be counterproductive but could also affect Queen’s development as a star-caliber player.
With a player like Jeremiah Fears also on the rise, it simply makes no sense for the Pelicans to want Ja Morant unless they are abandoning the rebuild path. Thus, even though there may be some merit to pursuing Morant, the Pelicans may see long-term value in building around what they currently have.
