In his first action back from injury, Ja Morant showed the world exactly the kind of game-changer he can be. Morant didn't even need the whole game, as the Memphis Grizzlies guard had a dazzling first half as the team faced off with the Orlando Magic. As Morant's name floats around in trade rumors, interested teams, such as the Milwaukee Bucks, were certainly paying attention.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant shines in return from injury
Logging just over 15 minutes of action in the first half, Morant was a force. He finished with 20 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds. Despite missing the last handful of games due to injury, Morant looked far from rusty, attacking the hoop with ferocity while also showing off some range from deep. He shot 5-of-7 overall, including a perfect 3-of-3 from deep, to go with seven free throw makes.
In total, the guard finished with 24 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, and a steal to lead the Grizzlies to a much-needed win. Ironically, he looked like exactly the type of player the Bucks could use, as getting their offense back on track appears to be a trade deadline priority. They need someone who can take the reins when Giannis Antetokounmpo is resting, and Morant looked the part in this one.
While the Bucks' interest in Morant has been puzzling from the start due to potential fit concerns from an on-court perspective, this version of Morant could change that. Is he going to sink 3-pointers this often? No, but can he not be one of the worst perimeter shooters of all time? Now that would make the guard's fit in Milwaukee a lot easier to envision.
A Morant trade will come down to how much the Grizzlies want in return. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported that Memphis covets Ryan Rollins and one of Milwaukee's first-round picks in discussions. Is that worth it? It's debatable, but Morant just gave any interested party more to think about. If he plays like this moving forward, the asking price will only continue to rise.
The Milwaukee Bucks might have missed their opportunity to get Morant as a "buy low" trade target.
Whether it's for Morant or someone else, the Bucks need to act. Their playoff hopes are sinking with each passing game. A move could inject some needed life into a team that could use a jolt right now.
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