Poll: Holiday and two firsts for Morant next year

[Who]

An unnamed executive speculated about the future of Ja Morant this week and that the Memphis Grizzlies could consider trading him this offseason, but general manager Zach Kleiman sharply dismissed that possibility.

"I can't blame other 'executives' for fantasizing about us trading Ja," said Kleiman. "But it's just that - fantasy. We are not trading Ja. Continue to underestimate Ja, this team and this city, and we will let our performance on the floor speak for itself. I'm not going to give this nonsense further oxygen and look forward to getting back to basketball."

Morant is averaging 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 28.8 minutes over 32 games this season. The Grizzlies have taken a cautious approach this season with Morant's minutes and games played in order to improve his odds of being healthy for the playoffs.

Both Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. will be eligible for contract extensions this offseason. The Grizzlies appeared to try to get ahead of those extensions by trading Marcus Smart at the deadline.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

I like the idea from a talent standpoint but want no part of Ja Morant from a character standpoint. I have no desire to see the Celtics add someone with his off the court issues.

[keevsnick]

I would obliviously do that trade, but there is a 0% chance the grizzlies would. If they did decide to move on from Morant there are simply other teams out there with more to offer.

Lets say draft night came and Boston wanted to flip Jrue for Morant. Whats the best offer they could make? Probably something like this

Jrue (about to be 35) + Hauser
25' 1st (probably #28)
26' Swap (Not going to matter since C's will be very good)
27' 1st (Very likely in late 20's)
30' Swap
31' 1st

The C's have already swapped out their 28' first (to SAS in White trade) and traded the 29' first (To POR in holiday trade). They just don't have the ammo to get a young star like Morant, the main problem being they are so good that their assets the next three years (25-27 first rounders) don't carry much value.

there are other teams loaded with assets that can match this deal drfat pick wise very easily and not have the main player be a 35 year old. And all this sets aside that it doesn't really make sense for Boston either since the Celtics are likely going to have to drop Jrue (or Prozingis) salary sometime in the next 18 months for tax reasons.

[aefgogreen]

I would obliviously do that trade, but there is a 0% chance the grizzlies would. If they did decide to move on from Morant there are simply other teams out there with more to offer.

Lets say draft night came and Boston wanted to flip Jrue for Morant. Whats the best offer they could make? Probably something like this

Jrue (about to be 35) + Hauser
25' 1st (probably #28)
26' Swap (Not going to matter since C's will be very good)
27' 1st (Very likely in late 20's)
30' Swap
31' 1st

The C's have already swapped out their 28' first (to SAS in White trade) and traded the 29' first (To POR in holiday trade). They just don't have the ammo to get a young star like Morant, the main problem being they are so good that their assets the next three years (25-27 first rounders) don't carry much value.

there are other teams loaded with assets that can match this deal drfat pick wise very easily and not have the main player be a 35 year old. And all this sets aside that it doesn't really make sense for Boston either since the Celtics are likely going to have to drop Jrue (or Prozingis) salary sometime in the next 18 months for tax reasons.

TP - not sure the deal is right for Boston, but definitely not right for Memphis.

[Phantom255x]

If we are talking Jrue Holiday trades, two teams I think could be a realistic option are Dallas and Orlando. Potential trade packages can be something along the lines of:

- Boston trades Jrue + 2 future FRPs + 1 future second rounder to DALLAS for Gafford + a salary piece like Naji Marshall

OR

- Boston trades Jrue + 1 future pick (high 2nd or a protected first rounder) to ORLANDO for Isaac + Wendell Carter

Dallas does it to elevate their defensive backcourt. They are in win-now mode with AD-Kyrie and you can add Holiday to that mix to improve defense and still keep Klay, Lively, PJ, etc. Orlando could decide to do this to also elevate their defensive backcourt, and he could be a nice leader and veteran for that team to have. In a way they also offload Isaac and give Banchero and da Silva even bigger roles at their positions.

Also this is just some rumors online but I have seen that Dallas may not see Gafford as a long term fit there with Lively and now AD in the fold. That's why I thought of it. He's only 26 but also his contract is up after next season. I like Gafford as a potential Horford replacement and another big man to slot with KP/Kornet/Queta. Carter could be another option if they go the Orlando trade route.

[Vermont Green]

As others have said, we can't send out 2 players to get back 1 higher cost player (aggregate).  It would have to be 2 players both ways.  I am not sure how it would work based on next season's contracts.  Hauser if going up to about $10M.  Holiday will be $32M, Morant $39M.  So I think if MEM includes a player at about $3M, it could work, but there is probably something I am not considering.

I could see Holiday being traded, I don't expect it, but could see it.  I don't think Morant is the player to target nor do I think we could offer enough. 

[aefgogreen]

I love Holiday on our team this year, but fear people are overestimating his value as a trade asset going forward.

[keevsnick]

As others have said, we can't send out 2 players to get back 1 higher cost player (aggregate).  It would have to be 2 players both ways.  I am not sure how it would work based on next season's contracts.  Hauser if going up to about $10M.  Holiday will be $32M, Morant $39M.  So I think if MEM includes a player at about $3M, it could work, but there is probably something I am not considering.

I could see Holiday being traded, I don't expect it, but could see it.  I don't think Morant is the player to target nor do I think we could offer enough.

Thats a good point, I wasn't even thinking of the money thing I was just thinking Hauser adds a little extra value to the trade for Memphis. But yes, without trading Brown or Tatum there's no way to get another max level player. But even if they COULD i don;t think they have the assets to do so.

[Who]

I think Memphis would be nuts to move Ja Morant.

They changed up their offense this summer into this uptempo dribble drive offense. That is a perfect match for Ja Morant. A super fast PG who can push the ball in transition and get them easy baskets (MEM lead league in transition hoops last I saw) + give them that dribble drive threat in the halfcourt that their offense is based around. Great match.

MEM & Morant should not divorce each other. They should stay together. Great fit for one another.

[ozgod]

I don't really like this trade for either team.

That's how I feel.  Memphis could do better, and we don't need an often-injured scoring guard with a gun fetish.

Plus, we can't take on salary in a trade, nor aggregate salaries, so it's a non-starter, right?

Yes, it's a non-starter for the reasons you mentioned - because we're over the 2nd apron, we can't take in more salary than we send out, and Morant makes $36.7m and Holiday $30m. And as a 2nd apron team we cannot aggregate salaries in trade, so we couldn't add the $6.7m via other players (e.g. Payton's $6.7m, or a combination of Scheierman, Tillman and Queta which would make up the $6.7m).

Can't be done unless we stop being a 2nd apron team, which would require us to shed $17.6m in salary somehow.

Plus it would hard-cap the Grizzlies at the 1st apron...not sure if they would want that.

Only way this trade works is in NBA2k with the trade rules switched off