The Memphis Grizzlies just jumped up in the NBA Draft Lottery, which seemingly makes a Ja Morant trade all the more likely this summer. And if the Milwaukee Bucks are still looking for ways to try to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo in town, a take-a-chance trade for Morant could be an intriguing way to do so.
Morant may not look like the player he once was, but he’s still only 26 years old and should still have the talent to be an All-Star in the right situation. Surrounding Antetokounmpo with better talent is the best possible way Milwaukee can keep him around, so adding Morant would be smart (from that perspective).
And the draft lottery could help the Bucks get a deal done.
Grizzlies jumping in NBA Draft Lottery could help a Bucks-Ja Morant trade
Memphis jumped all the way up to the No. 3 pick in this year’s NBA Draft. That means the Grizzlies will have the chance to take one of the top players in a draft that is projected to be one of the best in recent memory.
AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer have been the consensus top three picks for the entire draft cycle, and now, one of them will almost certainly end up in Memphis.
Based on the way projections are being doled out, it seems likely that Dybantsa and Peterson will go first and second, with Boozer being left over for the Grizzlies to select.
That would give them a young trio of Cedric Coward, Boozer, and Zach Edey moving forward – not a bad place to start. However, trading Morant would really help them hit the reset button.
They would be able to put the ball in the hands of their new young stars rather than trying to make it work with the last remnants of a team that failed to get over the hump.
And if the Grizzlies do ultimately decide to trade Morant, and the Bucks are in a position to try to keep Antetokounmpo around, it could make sense for both sides to try to get a deal done.
Slotting Morant in at the one would give the Bucks a theoretical starting lineup of him, Ryan Rollins, Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, and Ousmane Dieng (or whatever small forward they sign in free agency).
It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot better than the group they rolled out this past season, especially if they make more moves and Morant can return to (at least close to) his old, All-Star self.
Add us as a preferred source on Google