The Memphis Grizzlies have to make the right choice with Ja Morant.

Trading him is a foregone conclusion. There's little question that the organization will move Morant this summer. As such, the team has lost leverage. Morant is a distressed asset.

So, they shouldn't expect a hefty return. That doesn't mean they should settle for any trade. The Grizzlies should get the best return they can, even if that return is unimpressive.

Is popular target Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green a sufficient return?

Green was the second overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, he hasn't lived up to the expectations attached to such a high draft spot. Green spent his first four years with the Houston Rockets before they sent him to the Suns (along with Dillon Brooks and the tenth overall pick) for Kevin Durant.

It wouldn't be fair to harp on Green's first season in The Valley. He was largely injured. That said, his career 19.9 points per game are uninspiring when considering his 54.0% True Shooting % (TS%).

The cat is out of the bag when it comes to Green. His career 33.9% three-point shooting is insufficient for a player who relies so heavily on that shot. When it's falling, Green can look like a superstar. When it isn't (as is too often the case), he's not strong enough to consistently finish at the rim, and he doesn't impact the game enough in other areas to compensate.

Green is a fine perimeter defender. He's a somewhat competent playmaker. He just doesn't excel in either area. The only hope for future stardom is Green finding far more consistency from three-point range.

Should the Grizzlies be gambling on that outcome?

Let's work backwards: This would not be the worst outcome in a Morant deal.

A recent proposal had them attaching Morant's contract to a trade that had them moving from third to sixth in the draft. That should not be an option. Passing on the opportunity to land one of Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, or Caleb Wilson strictly to move on from Morant would be tragic.

Generally speaking, the Grizzlies shouldn't be giving up assets to move Morant. A neutral return would be acceptable. If they can simply pick up a couple of soon-to-be expiring contracts and (even a protected) first-round pick, that would suffice.

If they can't find that, flipping Morant for Green wouldn't be so bad. Still, the organization needs to understand that Green's path to stardom is perilous. Memphis should not view him as a cornerstone unless he establishes himself as one:

Even if they're parting with a former cornerstone to land him.

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