Ja Morant's Trade Value Likened to Kyrie Irving’s when he was on the Nets

There have been some loose Ja Morant trade rumors flowing, but nothing appears imminent as of yet.

Though some executives around the league seem hesitant to deal for the Memphis Grizzlies' star, the talent is undeniable each time he steps onto the court.

The same was very much the case for Kyrie Irving during his last days with the Brooklyn Nets before he was ultimately dealt to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2023.

The Mavericks got Irving for a steal, and at this point, Morant could be had for a similar price, a team executive told ESPN.

Irving put forth some memorable performances while he was playing for his childhood favorite team, though his time on the court was limited largely due to New York City's COVID-19 vaccine mandate during the 2021-22 season.

The former Nets guard has mostly stayed controversy-free in Dallas, as he helped the Mavericks get to the 2024 NBA Finals alongside Luka Doncic in his first full season with the team.

However, a lot of Nets fans are still likely unhappy with how Irving's situation in Brooklyn ultimately went down, as the expectation was that he and Kevin Durant (and later James Harden) were supposed to build something special for years to come and potentially steal the spotlight from the New York Knicks.

The Nets finally looked like they could win a championship weeks before Irving was traded, as Brooklyn went 18-2 from the months of November through January.

However, Durant suffered an untimely knee injury during the final game of that stretch, which ended up being his final game with the black and white.

The Nets couldn't rediscover the same mojo that gave fans the first sign of hope they'd seen in quite a while, and Irving requested a trade after failed contract negotiations between his agency and the front office.

There's no doubt Irving had the type of talent that could've earned him an MVP during the prime of his career, but his trade value was significantly watered down due to several factors outside of basketball.

The same can be said for Morant, but perhaps he can rewrite at least some of the narrative around himself in a different situation much like Irving has done in Dallas.

At the end of the day, winning has proven time and time again to be the ultimate cure, which Morant could contribute to if he can stay on the court and play his best brand of basketball.