NBA Mock Trade: Memphis Grizzlies Deal Ja Morant to Sacramento Kings

It doesn't take much to get the NBA rumor mill going.

On August 25, ESPN's NBA insiders voted on what superstar would be the next to request a trade. Only one voter out of 25 picked Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant.

But that was enough for Grizzlies pundits and fans to begin another discussion about Morant's future with the franchise.

"Morant, 26, will likely eventually want to play for a big market and compete at the highest level, because even when the Grizzlies were a top two seed in the West in consecutive seasons, it never felt like they were legitimate championship contenders," SI on Grizzlies' Logan Struck wrote. "If Morant ever requests a trade out of Memphis, then that would be a signal for the franchise that it is likely time to restart."

If Morant was going to request a trade this offseason, it would have happened already. Instead, after Memphis dealt Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic, ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported Morant and the Grizzlies were committed to each other.

But if that were to change, what would a Morant trade look like this summer? However unlikely, let's explore the possibility of Morant going to the Sacramento Kings.

Memphis Grizzlies-Sacramento Kings Mock Trade And Fantasy Basketball Implications

Memphis Grizzlies receive small forward DeMar DeRozan, point guard Devin Carter and 2027 first-round pick.

Sacramento Kings receive point guard Ja Morant.

For this proposal, I used a hypothetical trade package Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley presented on May 7 as the basis. In the deal, Memphis would get both an immediate contributor in DeRozan and assets that the franchise is hoping to turn into future stars.

This trade would have made more sense early in the summer. But on July 7, the Kings acquired point guard Dennis Schroder from the Detroit Pistons.

Next season in Sacramento, Schroder is projected to start alongside Zach LaVine.

But since this is a hypothetical and Schroder has come off the bench successfully in the past, that didn't discourage me from proposing this deal. The Kings would load up and move forward with Morant, fellow guard Zach LaVine and center Domantas Sabonis as their core.

Morant has averaged at least 23 points each of the past four seasons. He hasn't made the All-Star team since 2022-23 but that's been because of injuries.

If healthy, he's a candidate to score 25 points with more than seven assists per game with any team he plays for in 2025-26. In Sacramento, the biggest negative fantasy impact with Morant's arrival would be felt by LaVine and Schroder, especially the latter.

In Memphis, DeRozan would start and make a decent frontcourt duo with Jaren Jackson Jr. Both should average more than 20 points per game this season.

Carter could also compete for a starting opportunity with the Grizzlies sooner rather than later. That should lead to a bump in fantasy value.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for Grizzlies

Again, it's unlikely a Morant trade is coming this summer. If it does, then the Grizzlies will have admitted that they need to recalibrate their roster to truly compete. That recalibration would also not include Morant.

If that decision is made, the Grizzlies should trade Morant when they can maximize the guard's value. Perhaps, that's this summer.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for the Kings

Sacramento has made the postseason just once over the past two decades. Acquiring Morant has risks, and it wouldn't guarantee a playoff run because of how deep the Western Conference is.

But it's a move the Kings could make if they are serious about finding the sustained success they experienced about a quarter century ago.