The Memphis Grizzlies will shop Ja Morant this summer. This suitor makes the most sense for his services.
The Memphis Grizzlies' future is unclear. As long as Ja Morant is on the roster, that will be true.
By now, it's overwhelmingly likely that he'll be moved. His time with the Grizzlies is effectively done. For some time, it has seemed like it would be tremendously difficult to find a suitor for Morant.
Now, the rumors suggest that he'll have a more robust market. Jake Fischer is suggesting that there will be a wider market for Morant this summer than there was at this year's trade deadline.
One team feels like a sneakily likely candidate.
Big market team could pursue Morant
That would be the Brooklyn Nets.
The stars align here. To begin with, the Nets have every incentive to improve. They owe next year's draft pick to the Houston Rockets. Management will likely be looking to avoid sending the Rockets a lottery pick.
Granted, rostering Morant has not always been a recipe for success. Yet, it has been at times. Moreover, this team is well constructed for Morant. He could share tremendous pick-and-roll chemistry with Nic Claxton, and Morant's rim pressure pairs nicely with Michael Porter Jr.'s three-point gravity.
On a related note, the Nets can maneuver a deal fairly easily without gutting their roster. They'll have cap space this summer. Something built around, say, Terrance Mann and signing-and-trading Day'Ron Sharpe could work financially. If so, the Nets could acquire Morant, and if it doesn't work out, it's possible that internal development from Egor Demin and others will help them improve anyway, given how few key players they'd move to get Morant.
They also have assets to spare. Morant won't fetch much in a competitive market, but Brooklyn has a surplus of future first-round picks. They might be willing to sweeten the deal with a pick swap or a heavily protected first.
Is this a match made in heaven?
Grizzlies would need Nets to bite on Morant
That remains to be seen.
Yes, this makes plenty of sense. That doesn't mean the Nets will want Morant. They may fixate on the same downside risks that the market at large seemed to at this year's deadline.
The most encouraging news here is the potential of a broader market for Morant. If the Nets won't bite on Morant, it seems like someone else might. Still, few teams have the same combination of incentive, cap space, and assets.
The Nets are well-positioned to help the Grizzlies figure out their future.