Two Reasons for the Kings to Take a Chance on a Ja Morant Trade

The Sacramento Kings have two doors to take amid Ja Morant trade rumors.

Dec 15, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings are at a crossroads that could define the franchise's direction for years to come. With uncertainty around their long-term ceiling and a league that increasingly rewards bold, well-timed swings, the idea of trading for Ja Morant will inevitably surface again.

Morant is the type of talent that can instantly change a team’s trajectory, but he also comes with risk, both on and off the court. For the Kings, this cannot be a desperation move or a star-chasing impulse. Instead, there are only two particular doors that should ever lead Sacramento toward a Ja Morant trade. Anything outside of those conditions would be reckless rather than ambitious.

Taking Zach LaVine's contract

Apr 2, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) defends against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) during the second half at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The first door is tied directly to Memphis, a team that appears to be entering the early stages of a fire sale. The Grizzlies have already shown signs of pivoting away from their previous core, and league-wide expectation is that Ja Morant will be shopped before the next trade deadline or, at the very latest, during the offseason.

Even if Morant’s value is lower than it once was, Memphis may prioritize flexibility, picks, and financial relief over waiting for a perfect offer. That reality opens an opportunity for the Kings, but only if it aligns with their own financial reset.

Sacramento should only entertain a deal if the Grizzlies are willing to take on Zach LaVine’s contract as part of a rebuild, especially with LaVine becoming an expiring deal next season. Such a move would save the Kings money in the long term while allowing them to take a calculated swing for the upside of Morant’s elite talent.

From Memphis’ perspective, absorbing LaVine’s contract is not as illogical as it sounds. In a rebuild, expiring money can be a feature, not a bug, particularly if it comes attached to draft assets or young players. LaVine could either be flipped later or simply serve as a bridge contract while the Grizzlies reset their timeline.

For Sacramento, this structure would prevent them from mortgaging their future while still taking a chance on a former All-NBA caliber guard. Ja Morant, at his best, is a franchise-altering player, and the Kings should only be willing to accept his volatility if it also cleans up their books. Without that financial upside, the risk-to-reward balance simply does not hold.

The draft lottery

Jan 31, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) reacts after scoring during the first half against the BYU Cougars at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The second door is the draft lottery, where the Kings currently have the best odds of winning the number one pick. That pick carries enormous weight because it could mean the chance to select Darryn Peterson, widely viewed as a genuine superstar-level prospect. A player like Peterson offers cost-controlled upside, timeline flexibility, and a clean slate, everything small-market teams covet.

If the Kings believe they have a legitimate shot at landing him, trading for Morant would be counterproductive. However, if internal evaluations or lottery results suggest Peterson is unlikely to be within reach, the calculus changes dramatically. At that point, swinging for Morant may be the best available path to acquiring elite talent.

Ultimately, this decision is about discipline as much as ambition. The Kings should not chase Morant simply because stars rarely become available, nor because they have been linked to him in the past. They should do it only if Memphis is willing to absorb LaVine’s contract or if the Kings are confident they will miss out on Darryn Peterson at the top of the draft.

Those are the only scenarios where the risk makes sense, and the upside justifies the cost. If neither door opens, patience is not weakness; it is a strategy. In a league where one mistake can set a franchise back half a decade, the Kings must be precise about when and why they take their biggest swing.