This one definitely qualifies as a swing-for-the-fences idea, and that is kind of the point.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports tossed out a hypothetical that would send Ja Morant to the Kings, a franchise that feels stuck between trying to matter now and not really knowing how to get there.
Kings receive
- Ja Morant
Grizzlies receive
- DeMar DeRozan
- Devin Carter
- Dario Saric
- Two future first-round pick swaps
Why Sacramento Thinks About It
The Kings need juice. They know it. They have been hovering in place, not bad enough to bottom out and not good enough to scare anyone. Morant changes the temperature immediately.
This is also a team early enough in its rebuild arc that it can afford to miss. If Morant hits, Sacramento looks brilliant for landing a franchise-altering talent without giving up clean first-round picks. If he benefits from a reset, new structure, and veteran voices, the gamble pays off fast.
That is the argument.
Why It Gets Messy
Culture matters, and this deal raises questions. DeRozan shows up every night. Morant has not. Trading reliability for volatility is not always how stability is built.
There is also Carter. He has struggled, but he is still in his second year. Kings fans remember what happened when Tyrese Haliburton was moved early. Giving up on young guards has a history here.
For the Grizzlies, this is about re-centering. DeRozan brings professionalism. Carter brings a reset button. The swaps add optionality.
It is risky on both sides. Which makes it interesting. Sacramento has been careful for years. This would be anything but.
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