The Houston Rockets are one of the rising teams in the NBA. With a 49-26 record, they sit in second place in the Western Conference. They have the potential to make a deep playoff run, but if they don’t, then a trade for a star player could get them over the hump.
The Memphis Grizzlies shockingly fired their head coach, Taylor Jenkins. The move came as a surprise to everybody, and now the direction of the team is uncertain. In all likelihood, the team will continue to build around Ja Morant with a new head coach who will implement a new culture. However, it is possible that the team could throw the point guard onto the trading block. Here is a hypothetical trade proposal that makes sense for the Rockets and Grizzlies.
Rockets trade proposal for Ja Morant
Rockets receive: Ja Morant, John Konchar
Grizzlies receive: Three first-round picks, Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard
The Rockets have the luxury of both winning games now and having tons of future draft capital/young assets. Their young core has led them to where they are, so sacrificing the majority of the rotation in a Morant trade doesn’t make sense for Houston. However, the team should be happy to depart with some of their draft capital, Fred VanVleet, and Reed Sheppard.
VanVleet is 31 years old and will make a whopping $44 million next season, assuming his team option is picked up. He is is only getting older, and his days in Houston might be running out. Morant, meanwhile, would not only serve as an upgrade at the Rockets point guard position, but he is six years younger than VanVleet, too.
Sheppard wouldn’t be easy to part with, considering the Rockets selected him third overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he hasn’t established himself as a clear-cut part of the long-term core yet. He has been glued to the bench for most of the season despite Ime Udoka’s willingness to play youngsters.
Sheppard has potential. However, Morant is an established star. The Murray State product already has two All-Star nods to his name, and his off-the-court problems seem to be a thing of the past. Prior to league-enforced suspensions, Morant was looking like the future face of the NBA, and he could get back to that status. Morant’s statistics are a little bit down in comparison to normal this year, but he has been playing great recently.
Morant’s incredible athleticism makes him an excellent slasher. That skill set would be particularly dangerous with a passing big man like Alperen Sengun. Amen Thompson and Jalen Green have star potential and can play alongside Morant as well. Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Cam Whitmore are great role players, too.
A Morant-led Rockets team would be a championship favorite. Their current core is excellent, but Morant would elevate them to the next level. They’d even be able to keep tons of the depth that has made them such a great team this season.
What direction are the Grizzlies heading?
The Grizzlies are 44-30, which made their firing of Taylor Jenkins just weeks before the postseason extremely surprising. The Grizzlies are one of the best teams in the NBA, but they’ve struggled against playoff-caliber teams recently. Jenkins reportedly lost the locker room, which led to the Grizzlies’ decision-makers deciding they’d be better off without him.
The Grizzlies seemingly pinned Jenkins as the “problem,” if you can even call their situation that. That means that a Morant trade is unlikely, but you can’t rule it out completely. The point guard has had his fair share of problems in Memphis. He has been suspended on two separate occasions and has regularly dealt with injury issues.
Plus, after being in the MVP debate during his third and fourth seasons, Morant’s play has taken a step back. While he overcomes his weaknesses with great finishing and athleticism, there will always be concerns about the guard’s size and shooting ability. Morant is shooting below 30% from deep for the second straight season.
Morant forms a great trio with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, but those two players can play alongside anybody. If the Grizzlies disappoint in the postseason, they might decide that Morant isn’t the player who should be leading them forward. VanVleet, while a downgrade, would at least offer the Grizzlies more 3-point shooting. Sheppard could also live up to his pre-draft billing and become a great player. Three first-round draft picks would also be hard for the Grizzlies to look past.
A Morant trade is unlikely, especially without a replacement star being included in a deal for Memphis. After the Jenkins firing, though, you really can’t rule anything out.
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