Well, this would be good news. Basically if the deal is "Well, this is the lowest we can possibly buy on Ja" level, we'd bite, but not giving up anything of value
[Rumor] Shams: Kings a team of interest in Ja Morant trade
- Thread starter Tetsujin
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Well, this would be good news. Basically if the deal is "Well, this is the lowest we can possibly buy on Ja" level, we'd bite, but not giving up anything of value
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Yeah, if it were unprotected maybe, probably not though considering it could very well do damage to the Kings own pick which is the only destiny the Kings truly control. If the Grizz would be giving a pick away then clearly they aren't rebuilding at that point so what are we talking about here, late lotto or a pick in the 20's? Perry already showed the way to get in to the draft that deep into it and it's not impossible let along taking on that kind of salary in the process. Overall the reality is flexibility is the way to go for a team in the Kings position. That is the most important aspect of any moves IMO.
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
KOC said the Kings offered Lavine and Keon for Ja.
TaxMan
Starter
I wouldn't have hated that. Downside is your stuck with a toxic contract for more years than Zach, but one of those risky swing for the fences moves a team like Sac probably needs to take.
I don't "like" it because I don't think highly of Ja, but it would open up space to see if Carter can do anything, and would also (one would think) lead to moving Dennis or Russ before the deadline as well since presumably Ja moves straight to the starting PG spot. It also gives us an extra roster spot if that's the deal. Granted it comes at moving Keon.
I'd also think Memphis would jump at that deal to get off Ja and get Keon included in a swap of undesirables so I almost doubt this is real or there must have been more to it.
ShastaKingsFan
Hall of Famer
They don't necessarily have to take these kinds of risks, if they would just commit to a rebuild and to the draft. It's always some sort of attempted short cut there creates the never ending issues. Morant isn't going to lead anyone into being a contender
I question the logic that Ja would be brought in to win games and not just to rotate the big anchor to a different position and get out of the way of the guys you want to develop.
Considering Ja only has two years remaining on his contract at end of season (ie Zach + 1) I don't actually hate this idea. It comes with a slight chance of lucking into the player who was seen 3 years ago as the future face of the NBA. In the more likely event that he remains the same flawed but talented player he is now, at least you've cleared out space at the SG position and bought yourself a couple years of relative stability to find the real PG of the future. Assuming he doesn't do anything dumb and get himself disqualified. But even there we'd probably just void the rest of the contract and move on.
ShastaKingsFan
Hall of Famer
Is Morant the kind of Pg you want playing with guys trying to develop?
Fair question. The off the court stuff is going to follow him around until he proves he's put it behind him. On the court, it would depend on who we end up drafting this season. Morant gets to the line and generates easy baskets for his teammates off of his ability to get into the paint. I can see him being an asset for young players who aren't really self-creators but he might just get in the way of a more ball-dominant player.
Yes and no? If we are picking top 4-7 over the next 3 lotteries we probably draft a Ja like PG one year. It's no real difference than having Fox as PG. Clearly San Antonio is doing ok with that. And like the Kings in 2022 or San Antonio now, I don't think Fox or Ja win you games until the rest of the team is fleshed out.
Personality wise it's a different story.
PurpleHaze
All-Star
Getting Ja Morant out of Memphis might be a win for him and a win for the Kings. It might even save his life since Memphis has highest murder rate in the country. Hopefully, the suspect crowd he is known to hangout with in Memphis would disappear if relocated to Sac Town. Finally growing up in relatively quiet, relatively safe surroundings instead of gritty, crime ridden Memphis.
I don't even believe this.
Memphis is stuck with a player who
1) Has major attitude and off-the-court issues
2) Has required the last three seasons to play one season worth of basketball
3) Is injured AGAIN
4) Has absolutely forgotten how to shoot
and
5) Has three years left at $40M+ per year
You're telling me that they had the opportunity to get rid of that mess, cut a year off of the financial burden, and pick up a young defensive stud, and they turned it down? Nah. Didn't happen.
I know he runs with an unsavory crowd but Memphis, St. Louis, New Orleans, Baltimore, all the cities that get called the murder capital, they all have really nice pockets and really horrifying pockets. Sometimes separated by a block. But even if he is cosplaying a banger I wonder if he really enters those seedy pockets and ever needs to use that piece he carries. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't.
If you want trouble in Sac you can find it too.
ShastaKingsFan
Hall of Famer
You can't really expect someone to turn into someone that they're not. Personality always matters and thinking that he matures at this point is a fools bet