NBA Mock Trade Fantasy Impact: Ja Morant Dealt To Brooklyn Nets In Blockbuster Trade

Going over an NBA mock trade that sends Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant to the Brooklyn Nets, and then breaking down the impact it would have on fantasy basketball.

Mar 21, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant stands on the court following the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets' future outlook in becoming a playoff-level team is unclear. This comes even after they had a total of five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Only one of these picks feels like they can be a likely shoo-in, in being a part of the team’s future: Egor Demin. In his rookie season, Demin averaged 10.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 3.3 APG. 

The Nets will have the #6 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and it would make sense for them, even though rebuilding, to try to get a sure-fire player that can help them via trade. It is especially a good idea with their draft woes just a season ago. The Memphis Grizzlies, who are in a rebuild of their own and have gone all-in on trying to set up their future through the draft are a more than plausible trade partner for Brooklyn.

NBA Mock Trade: Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets

Jan 21, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at FedExForum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Grizzlies Receive:

SF Terance Mann

C Nicolas Claxton

2026 first round pick #6 overall

Nets Receive:

PG Ja Morant

SG Jaylen Wells

2026 first round pick #16 overall

Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Nets

The Nets get their point guard of the future in acquiring Ja Morant through this mock trade…hopefully. There is no question that injuries have been a major concern for Morant as of late in his career. But when he is healthy, his talent is undeniable, as he can be one of the best guards in fantasy basketball on any given night. This past season, in 20 games, he averaged 19.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 8.1 APG. In his last five games for the Grizzlies before he missed the remainder of the 2025-2026 season with an elbow injury, he scored 20 or more points in four of the contests. This included an outing against the Philadelphia 76ers, where he scored 40 points. This is no doubt a risky trade for Brooklyn, but with their current roster construction, the risk is worth taking. 

Helping validate taking the risk is the Nets getting Memphis' #16 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The following draft pick still has upside in being a monumental asset, with it being a deep draft class.

Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Grizzlies

Dec 26, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton (33) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

While the Grizzlies lose their once-upon-a-time star PG in this mock, they gain potentially franchise-changing draft capital for their rebuild. With the pick, they can either try to draft their PG of the future or opt to give a couple of other guys on their roster the starting PG role: Scotty Pippen Jr. or Ty Jerome. Both Jerome and Pippen Jr. have played the role of starting PG for Memphis during their tenures, and have shown well at times.

Pippen Jr. this past season only played 10 games. The season prior, where he played 79, he averaged 9.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 4.4 APG. Jerome, in 15 games in his first season with the Grizzlies, averaged 19.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 2.8 RPG. These two players are definitely players fantasy managers should keep an eye on if a deal were to actually go down for Morant.

Memphis also gets a solid center in return, Nicolas Claxton, who could be plugged in as the backup center for Zach Edey. A backup center is definitely a role Memphis needs to fill, with the injuries Edey has had so far in his young NBA Career. In two seasons, Edey has played 66 and 11 games.

Fantasy Impact Of Mock Trade

The biggest winner in fantasy in this mock trade is Jerome. He becomes likely the starting PG in Memphis and could put up similar numbers in the 20262-2027 season to the ones he did in the brief stint he was available last season.

On the Brooklyn side of things, Morant, when healthy, becomes a massive winner in fantasy. He will be called on to be one of the team’s top scoring options. His averages this season would likely tick near his averages in the 2024-2025 season: 23.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 7.3 APG.