Rockets offseason Ja Morant trade proposal after Grizzlies fire Taylor Jenkins…
Is Ja Morant a trade candidate after the Taylor Jenkins firing?
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
Ja Morant Grizzlies Rockets trade
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
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.
About The Author
